Transitioning China to Renewable Energy: Economic, Health, and Environmental Benefits

Abstract

Air pollution and global warming are urgent global problems, largely driven by the use of fossil fuels. It is important to consider methods of transitioning away from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. This study investigates the costs, land use, and health and climate benefits of moving China’s energy system from fossil fuels to a completely wind-water-solar (WWS) system. The findings indicate that such a transition would reduce China's energy needs by 34%, require only 0.21% of the country's land area, and decrease private energy costs by approximately 34%. The total social cost of energy, encompassing private energy costs, climate costs, and health costs, would drop by 97%. The transition could prevent about 1.1 million premature deaths annually due to air pollution. To achieve this, China must install around 202,000 new 5-MW onshore wind turbines, 48,000 5-MW offshore wind turbines, 18 million 100-kW rooftop solar PV systems, and 16,000 100-MW utility-scale solar PV systems. The required land area for these installations would be minimal, with utility-scale solar and onshore wind turbines occupying 2,780 km² and 16,800 km², respectively. Transitioning to WWS would reduce private energy costs from $696 billion to $462 billion annually and yield health and climate cost savings of $9.7 trillion and $3.8 trillion annually, respectively. In conclusion, transitioning China to 100% clean, renewable energy not only offers substantial health and environmental benefits but also delivers significant economic savings while using minimal land.