Saturday, September 28, 2019

China Moves to Equity Investment in Foreign Coal Power Projects

Panda Paw Dragon Claw recently posted an analysis titled "How China's Power Companies Invest Overseas" by Wang Yan and Li Danqing, both climate campaigners with extensive experience in Chinese overseas energy investment.

The authors look at China's construction of foreign coal power projects from 2009 to 2018. Until 2012, all of the projects were based on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) with no equity investment. In 2012, these projects witnessed the first equity investment and by 2018 equity investment had surpassed the EPC model. Most of the coal power plants were built in South Asia and Seutheast Asia. Ghana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique and Madagascar accounted for far fewer projects. Equity investment involves more risk for China. The building of coal power plants also raises serious concerns about air pollution and climate change.