American coal is cleaner than Chinese wind and solar Image By Dan Romito China’s dominance in producing solar panels and wind turbines raises various complex environmental, geopolitical, and socioeconomic concerns. While renewable energy sources like solar and wind are often touted as clean alternatives to fossil fuels, the global reliance on China for their manufacture reveals hidden externalities and controversies that challenge this narrative. When factoring in the supply chain, American coal offers a “greener” alternative to Chinese wind and solar. China’s supply chain dominance China unequivocally dominates the global supply chain for solar panels and wind turbines. It owns approximately 60% of the world’s wind turbine production capacity and controls over 80% of the global market share for wind turbines. Additionally, China maintains a near-monopoly on rare earth minerals critical for solar panel manufacturing. This stranglehold extends beyond manufacturing to raw material extraction, giving China unparalleled influence over the renewable energy industry. The environmental implications of this dominance are significant. The production of solar panels and wind turbines relies heavily on coal-fired power plants within China. These coal plants supply the electricity needed to manufacture these technologies, adding a considerable carbon footprint to their production. Furthermore, the global shipping of these heavy and bulky products largely depends on diesel fuel, compounding their environmental impact. To illustrate the scale of fossil fuel reliance, consider the steel needed for wind turbines expected to be operational by 2030. Producing this steel would require fossil fuels equivalent to more than 600 million metric tons of coal. Given the current production dynamic, most of this manufacturing would occur with Chinese coal. This dependency on coal underscores the paradox of renewable energy technologies: while wind and solar aim to reduce carbon emissions, their production processes rely on high-carbon energy sources, most notably Chinese coal. The effects of Chinese coal The type of coal used distinctively matters. Chinese coal differs drastically from American coal in its environmental impact. U.S. coal is more energy-dense, producing more energy per unit when burned. In contrast, Chinese coal has higher sulfur content, leading to increased sulfur dioxide emissions, acid rain, and respiratory problems. Moreover, the United States employs more advanced pollution control technologies, including systems to capture methane – a potent greenhouse gas – from coal mines. U.S. mining practices and health and safety laws are also more stringent, reducing the environmental and human costs associated with coal production. Causes for concern An increased global reliance on solar and wind turbines has implications beyond environmental concerns. Due to the concentrated control of critical resources in China, it heightens geopolitical vulnerabilities and economic risks. This dependency poses a troubling national security risk, as it ties the energy future of many nations to a single supplier who is unequivocally a global economic opponent. Additionally, the carbon-intensive nature of manufacturing these technologies paradoxically increases global CO2 emissions, undermining their environmental benefits. In light of these factors, American coal – with its higher energy efficiency, lower sulfur content, and advanced pollution controls – presents a compelling case as a greener alternative to the coal-dependent renewable energy supply chain dominated by China. This is especially true considering intermittent renewables generally must be backed up by dispatchable resources. In effect, the heavy carbon output of Chinese manufacturing of solar panels and wind turbines results in duplicative and unnecessary carbon emissions; a strong case can be made that the more environmentally responsible path would simply be to generate electricity directly through American coal, natural gas and oil. Going forward While implementing renewable technologies should be considered, scrutinizing their full lifecycle impacts is essential. By addressing renewables' environmental and geopolitical costs, policymakers can make more informed decisions that balance energy security, environmental protection, worker safety, and economic resilience. Dan Romito is managing director overseeing the Consulting & Advocacy practice at Pickering Energy Partners. He previously worked at Nasdaq, and his writing has been published in Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg and CNBC. *The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EnergyPlatform.News.
