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Growing China’s renewables sector: a developmental state approach

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  • Geoffrey C. Chen
  • Charles Lees

Abstract

Over the last decade China expanded its renewable energy sector with unprecedented speed. This success story presents a challenge to Western modes of environmental governance, where stakeholder participation is often deemed a necessary pre-condition for effective policy outcomes. Drawing on new research (including previously unpublished interview data), the article first discusses established modes of environmental governance before examining the growth of China’s renewables sector through the theoretical lens of the ‘developmental state’. The article then analyses renewable energy policy design and implementation in China, illustrating how top-down command and control strategies have successfully diffused renewable energy technology from a standing start. We argue that (1) China’s distinct approach to the sector differs from Western modes of environmental governance and (2) this has revealed a new path towards renewable energy diffusion that authoritarian states in particular might regard as an attractive alternative to participatory models.

Suggested Citation

  • Geoffrey C. Chen & Charles Lees, 2016. "Growing China’s renewables sector: a developmental state approach," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(6), pages 574-586, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:cnpexx:v:21:y:2016:i:6:p:574-586
    DOI: 10.1080/13563467.2016.1183113
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    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Yan & Zhang, Qi & Wang, Ge & McLellan, Benjamin & Liu, Xue Fei & Wang, Le, 2018. "A review of photovoltaic poverty alleviation projects in China: Current status, challenge and policy recommendations," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 214-223.
    2. Tan, Hao & Thurbon, Elizabeth & Kim, Sung-Young & Mathews, John A., 2021. "Overcoming incumbent resistance to the clean energy shift: How local governments act as change agents in coal power station closures in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    3. Lo, Alex Y & Mai, Lindsay Qianqing & Lee, Anna Ka-yin & Francesch-Huidobro, Maria & Pei, Qing & Cong, Ren & Chen, Kang, 2018. "Towards network governance? The case of emission trading in Guangdong, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 538-548.
    4. Song, Feng & Yu, Zichao & Zhuang, Weiting & Lu, Ao, 2021. "The institutional logic of wind energy integration: What can China learn from the United States to reduce wind curtailment?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. Weko, Silvia & Goldthau, Andreas, 2022. "Bridging the low-carbon technology gap? Assessing energy initiatives for the Global South," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    6. Eicke, Laima & Weko, Silvia, 2022. "Does green growth foster green policies? Value chain upgrading and feedback mechanisms on renewable energy policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    7. Tyce, Matthew, 2020. "Beyond the neoliberal-statist divide on the drivers of innovation: A political settlements reading of Kenya’s M-Pesa success story," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    8. Liobikienė, Genovaitė & Miceikienė, Astrida, 2022. "The role of financial, social and informational mechanisms on willingness to use bioenergy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 21-27.
    9. Lo, Alex Y. & Chen, Kang, 2020. "Business participation in the development of a Chinese emission trading scheme," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    10. Li, Kai & Tan, Xiujie & Yan, Yaxue & Jiang, Dalin & Qi, Shaozhou, 2022. "Directing energy transition toward decarbonization: The China story," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PA).
    11. Behuria, Pritish, 2020. "The politics of late late development in renewable energy sectors: Dependency and contradictory tensions in India’s National Solar Mission," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    12. Zhang, M. & Yang, X.N., 2021. "Administrative framework barriers to energy storage development in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).

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