Renewable energy
While the United States and Europe discuss climate goalsChina has already implemented a much more aggressive strategy. Since 2011, the Chinese government has activated what experts have come to call a veritable “Green Marshall Plan,” using renewable energies as a tool to redesign the political, economic, and energy map of the planet.
The plan goes beyond simple decarbonization. By investing heavily in solar panels, batteries, turbines, and electric cars, Beijing has begun offering developing countries something the West promised but rarely delivered: infrastructure, technology, and financing to grow without relying so heavily on fossil fuels.
The numbers help explain the scale of the project. Since 2011, China has invested approximately US$227 billion in over 450 renewable energy projects.
Investments in clean energy are growing and total US$2,3 trillion; see the leading sectors.
Global investment in clean energy will hit a record US$2,3 trillion in 2025, surpassing fossil fuels for the second time and driving the energy transition.
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The most surprising fact, however, is the recent speed of this expansion. Approximately 88% of this volume has been invested since 2022, which shows a clear acceleration.
In 2024 alone, Chinese investments in overseas green energy reached US$11,8 billion. In the first half of 2025 alone, a further US$9,7 billion was invested, reinforcing the fact that the offensive has not slowed down.
Much of this money flows through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Inspired by the ancient Silk Road, the proposal aims to create a vast network of infrastructure and trade, with renewable energy as its central component.
The strategy only works because China dominates the global production chain. It is estimated that the country manufactures 80% of the world’s solar panels, 75% of lithium batteries, and 70% of wind turbines.
Internal competition among Chinese companies is so intense that they needed to create something similar to OPEC to avoid price wars. Even so, prices plummeted and crushed Western competitors.
As a result, developing countries are able to purchase renewable energy technology at much lower costs than just a few years ago. This facilitates the energy transition and, at the same time, increases dependence on China.
In 2024, Chinese exports of green technologies totaled US$177 billion, about 5% of all the country’s exports. Of that total, US$72 billion went to developing countries.
Ethiopia is one of the clearest examples. The country banned the import of new gasoline-powered cars in 2024, betting on electric vehicles.
In return, China had already invested US$4 billion in the energy sector between 2011 and 2018, financing wind farms and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Now, another US$500 million has been directed towards solar power plants.
In Morocco, Chinese companies have set up battery factories to supply the electric car industry. In general, China is expanding across Africa, bringing renewable energy, but also building roads, ports, and access to mines of critical materials.
It is estimated that 90% of the solar panels installed on the African continent are of Chinese origin.
Chinese expansion is also advancing in Latin America. In Brazil, the government decided to increase import tariffs on cars to force Chinese manufacturers to set up factories in the country. The result was immediate: BYD and Great Wall Motors announced industrial units in Brazilian territory.
The logic is similar to that which China itself used in the past to attract foreign automakers. In this way, the country tries to avoid simply importing technology and seeks to create jobs and local industry.
Do you think China’s renewable energy is helping the world or creating a new global economic dependency?
He holds a degree in Advertising from UERN; a master’s degree in Social Communication from UFMG; and is pursuing a PhD in Language Studies at CEFET-MG. He has worked as a freelance writer since 2019, with texts published on websites such as Baixaki, MinhaSérie, and Letras.mus.br. Academically, his work has been published in books and presented at industry events. Among his research topics, he is particularly interested in the publishing market from a perspective that considers different social markers.
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