1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,520 Speaker 1: Guess what, mango, what's that will? I'm not sure if 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: you saw this, but earlier this year, the Chinese province 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 1: of Qinghai successfully powered itself for a full week on 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: a renewable energy I'm not sure I heard that. So 5 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: I had read about this just a little bit, but 6 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: I didn't remember the scale of it. So they were 7 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: using solar and wind and hydro power, and they managed 8 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: to provide power to five point six million residents for 9 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: seven full days. I mean, that's more than the population 10 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: of Los Angeles. It's more than Chicago. It's more than 11 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: Phoenix and Philadelphia and San Antonio combined. It's more than 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: San Diego, Dallas, Seattle, and Austin combined. I think we 13 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: got the idea. It's a lot of people. Yeah, good, 14 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: because I think I was about to run out of 15 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: my Citi's there. But you know, but all of this 16 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: is even more interesting when you consider the images of 17 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: big cities in China covered in smog. So it got 18 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: me wondering just how serious China is about moving toward 19 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: renewable energy. And there's a bigger question here, you know, 20 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: are they actually positioned to become the green superpower of 21 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: the future. So that's what we're talking about today. Let's 22 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: get started. HEIIR podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. 23 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: I'm Will Pearson and has always I'm joined by my 24 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: good friend man Guesh Ticketer and on the other side 25 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: of the soundproof glass, I think calculating his carbon footprint 26 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: as our friend and producer Tristan McNeil. So mego. We're 27 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:36,119 Speaker 1: talking about China today and specifically asking the question will 28 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: they become the world's renewable energy superpower? Yeah, and it 29 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: feels a little strange to be asking that question given 30 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: the reputation China has with its environmental standards. So if 31 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: you've ever been to any big city there or even 32 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: seen photos, China has had this major air quality problem 33 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: for decades now. And if you remember back before the 34 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: two Olympics, I feel like there were so many stories 35 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: about the Chinese government and how they were like antically 36 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: trying to plant flowers and trees and trying to pretty 37 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: everything up. It was almost like they had this messy 38 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: house and they were rushing to clean before the entire 39 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: world was dropping in for a visit. Well, I've actually 40 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: never been, but I feel like anyone I know who's 41 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: gone just for work or to visit. Briefly, they've returned 42 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 1: talking about that air quality in the big cities. Well, 43 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: I actually visited once when I was in eighth grade, 44 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: and I do remember being dusty. But the biggest impression 45 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 1: China made on me was that we were in the 46 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: McDonald's and it was so fancy. In fact, after we ordered, 47 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 1: we got kicked out because they were having a wedding 48 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: there away. Yeah, so that's the first thing I remember. 49 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: And and that all the hotels used to give you 50 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: slippers because it wasn't uncommon for businessmen to just spit 51 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: on the floors, even in the rooms, and these were 52 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: nice hotels. Maybe we should change the topic of today's episode. 53 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: We'll just talk about McDonald's and hotels. Remember, that's right, 54 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: things Mango remembers about China. But I know you did 55 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 1: say it was pretty polluted to and you know, it's 56 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: been surprising when you see reporters talking about China leading 57 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: this green revolution. So so I do want to talk 58 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: about that today. We'll talk about McDonald's another time. So, 59 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: I know, like when you mentioned the green revolution thing 60 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: to me, I was so confused. I've read this two 61 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: thousand fourteen New Yorker piece about this artist Kai Goo Chang. 62 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: I'm sure I'm butchering his name, but it was all 63 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: about how he walks this fine line of commenting on 64 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: environmental issues but doesn't expressly say it because of the government. 65 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: And his pieces are totally crazy, Like he had this giant, 66 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: rusted out ship that had all these pairs of sick 67 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: animals on them, like these wand looking zebras and gazelles 68 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: and wolves and whatever on this bizarro Noah's ark, and 69 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: he flirted it down this big waterway in Shanghai and 70 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: docted at this major art museum. He also made this 71 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: super beautiful lake at the museum. It's this piece called 72 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: Silent Ink, and he excavated down into the concrete floors. 73 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: I'm not sure how he got permission, but then he 74 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: filled the space with this old calligraphy inc which just 75 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: feels traditional and poetic. But when you're looking at this 76 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: lake in a room that's basically all black, you get 77 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: the pollution reference, right. And also there was this industrial 78 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: chimney in the space and he put three baby dolls 79 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: on a swing there and he called an air of Heaven. 80 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: I mean, none of this is very subtle. Wow, And 81 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: I actually I'm curious, like, how did this guy not 82 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: get arrested. Yeah, I have no idea. I mean, this 83 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: is a clear critique of the environment and China's handling 84 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:18,359 Speaker 1: of it. But he was also the ardent lighting director 85 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: for the Beijing Olympics, so he's really respected and now 86 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: he lives in New Jersey. Anyway, Well, I want to 87 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: give us a really quick overview of the state of 88 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: the environment in China and what they've done in the 89 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: past couple of decades, you know, just to set the 90 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: stage for what they've been up to recently. Yeah, I'm 91 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: happy to do that, and I think it might give 92 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: us some perspective to highlight a couple numbers. First, let 93 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: me let me look at these. So there are estimates 94 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: that seven hundred and fifty thousand people or more die 95 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: prematurely each year because of air and water pollution in China, 96 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: and some of those estimates say by as much as 97 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: five or six years, so it's significant. Yeah, and prepping 98 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:51,919 Speaker 1: for today's show, I saw that only about one percent 99 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: of the country's city residents are breathing clean air on 100 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: a daily basis. Yeah, it's really staggering and that industrial 101 00:04:57,800 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: air pollution is what led to cancer becoming the lead 102 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: cause of death in China. And they've dealt for years 103 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:07,359 Speaker 1: now with major issues around soil contamination, contaminated waterways, and 104 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: lead poisoning, but you know, will mostly be focusing on 105 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: air quality and to a lesser extent, water quality. And 106 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: one other number or index that helps put things in 107 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: perspective is the Air Quality Index, and the US Embassy 108 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: in Beijing began posting that each day, and then that's 109 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: been going on for several years now. So I've actually 110 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,039 Speaker 1: seen the air Quality Index before, but can you remind 111 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: me what the numbers mean? Sure? And so on the index, 112 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: you've got this rating of a hundred one to a 113 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty, which would indicate slight pollution than a 114 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,799 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty one, The two hundred means moderate pollution. 115 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: Then you've got a range that means heavy pollution all 116 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: the way up to three hundred, and then above that 117 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: from three oh one to five hundred. This means hazardous 118 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: levels of pollution. So it's probably in your best interest 119 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: to steer clear of a rating in that range, and 120 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: I'm guessing Beijing's is not that good. Well, it was 121 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 1: interesting to see the way the US described it in 122 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: their post on the first day Beijing score c coust 123 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: the five hundred more. But that was the first time 124 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: they actually went above five hundred. Again, this is well 125 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: above the hazardous range. This was in November of two 126 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: thousand ten, and the way they described it was just 127 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: crazy bad. And then they decided to change it to 128 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: beyond index. I mean, that's pretty bad when you're going 129 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: beyond index, especially when the top two hundred points on 130 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: the index already represent hazardous well, and they didn't stop there. 131 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 1: I mean they were readings in two thousand thirteen that 132 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 1: were as high as eight hundreds. Perfect is but not 133 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 1: good in this case. And you know, obviously at this 134 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 1: point the government had to take it more seriously, or 135 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: at least paid lip service to taking it more seriously. 136 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 1: So they developed this action plan which would work to 137 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: reduce pollution over a several year period and invest in renewables. 138 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: So that's when China began investing in renewables. Well, actually 139 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: the investments began growing substantially well before this, and that 140 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: growth really began in two thousand four, two thousand five, 141 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: and and just to illustrate this growth, So in two 142 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: thousand four, China invested about three billion dollars on renewable energy, 143 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: and maybe that sounds like a big figure, but that 144 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: number grew every year after that until two thousand fifteen, 145 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: when it reached a hundred and three billion. So again, 146 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: that's three billion to a hundred and three billings. Wow, 147 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: I mean that's a massively So let's talk about China's 148 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: current usage before we break down their plans for the future. 149 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: All right, Well, let's start with the fact that, not surprisingly, 150 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: China uses more energy than any other country. And I 151 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: think we would expect that given their population. And in 152 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: two thousand and fifteen, China consumed a little over twenty 153 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: of what's known as the world's final total consumption of fuel. 154 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: So this would be the combination of oil, natural gas, coal, electricity, biofuels, 155 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: and any other sources. Yeah, so this was crazy to me. 156 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: I was actually looking at a list of the largest 157 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: energy uses in the world, and apparently on a per 158 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: capita basis, China isn't the biggest defender, or even then 159 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: the top ten for that matter, it's Iceland. And that's 160 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: all misleading because it's a calculation of all sources of energy, 161 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: So Iceland's primarily renewable space energy gets counted into this, 162 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: and also having a small population throws off the statistic too. 163 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: But what's weird is that the US also comes in 164 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,559 Speaker 1: ahead of China on a para capita energy usage basis. Okay, 165 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: so so let's get back to China. How does their 166 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: energy usage breakdown? I don't know if I'm ready to 167 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: get back to China. I still want to talk about Iceland. 168 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: Why are they using so much energy? I know it's renewables. 169 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: We we won't get into that. So all right, Well, 170 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: coal is still king in China, and while it's been 171 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: declining in terms of the percentage of the country's energy production, 172 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: it's still accounts for a little over sixty of this production, 173 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: and that's now maybe seven or eight percent over the 174 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 1: past few years. But you know, to say coal is 175 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 1: big in China is a huge understatement. I think, trying 176 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: to produce something like forty five percent of the world's 177 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: coal in two thousand and sixteen. But in addition to that, 178 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: it's also the largest importer of coal. So this is 179 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: just a tremendous amount of coal there. And I know 180 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: the government has been shutting down some coal mines and 181 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 1: have talked about restrictions on building new plants. But much 182 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: like we've heard discussed in the US, there are a 183 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: ton of people were employed by the coal industry. I 184 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: think I saw this New York Times figure that had 185 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: it at about four million coal miners. Yeah, so it's 186 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: it's a ton of jobs. And and actually let's keep 187 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: that number in mind when we talk about the economic 188 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 1: opportunity on the renewables front, just to see how it compares. 189 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: But you know, if you've ever seen any stories or 190 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: films about the lives of coal miners and several of 191 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 1: the rural minds in China, it's an incredibly dangerous job. 192 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: And we hear about the dangerous conditions for miners here 193 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,959 Speaker 1: in the States, but the number of deaths each year 194 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: in Chinese minds are just staggering. And this is despite 195 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,199 Speaker 1: the regulations from the Chinese government, because you know, when 196 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: there's seventeen thousand minds in a country, it's really difficult 197 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: to actually crack down on the illegally operated minds. These 198 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: have inadequate ventilation, poorly supported tunnels. But that could definitely 199 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:48,559 Speaker 1: be its own episode. And I know we're going to 200 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,559 Speaker 1: focus on the impact of the industry as a whole. 201 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: But actually you were telling me earlier about a statistic 202 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: on CEO two emissions there. Yeah, let me just find 203 00:09:57,040 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: this because I want to get the numbers right. But 204 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: one report I was looking at noted then two thousand 205 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: and fifteen, China produce just shy of thirty percent of 206 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: the world's total c O two emissions from fuel combustion, 207 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: and that actually makes it the world's biggest polluter. However, 208 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: they keep coming back to this per capital defense, which 209 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:15,719 Speaker 1: shows they're not at the top of the list when 210 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: measured per capita. I mean, I remember cheering about this 211 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: way back in the early OTTs, that there were all 212 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: these developing countries that thought it was unfair that the 213 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: US was imposing these environmental restrictions on them, especially at 214 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: a time when they were having their industrial booms. Because 215 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: of course, countries in the West grew without real concern 216 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: for polluting in their own industrial revolutions and then tapered 217 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:41,079 Speaker 1: back once they were like these bustling economies. But I mean, 218 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,839 Speaker 1: it's it's really interesting to note that back in China 219 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: produce less than six percent of the world's CEO two 220 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: emissions and now it's thirty so it's been this massive increase, 221 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: and especially since the early two thousand's when emissions really skyrocket, 222 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: is so six percent to Yeah, that is that is huge. Alright, 223 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: So so coal is the biggie here. Well, actually, what 224 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: about oil? I mean, I know you were looking into 225 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 1: their oil usage and are they also the biggest user 226 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: there too? And I know I've seen several stories about 227 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: how much the auto industry has been growing in China. Yeah, 228 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: so car sales have grown tremendously, with twenty four million 229 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: more people getting cars in two thousand fifteen. And here's 230 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: what's crazy. So the economists noted that China is at 231 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: about a hundred twenty vehicles per a thousand people, which 232 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: is around the level of America and the nineteen twenties. 233 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 1: So if you think about that figure, it's inevitable that's 234 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 1: going to grow significantly in and with that, the demand 235 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: for oil is definitely going to increase as well. But 236 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: despite that, they still haven't cracked the top ten in 237 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: oil usage still. I mean, oil provided about of China's 238 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: energy in two thousand fifteen. All right, well, let's briefly 239 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 1: talk about natural gas and nuclear and neither of them 240 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: are currently a significant percentage of China's energy usage. And 241 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: then we'll talk about China's role in the green revolution. Definitely, 242 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: So China actually produces less energy from natural gas than 243 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 1: it does from renewable sources. But we should note that 244 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: the US is both the largest producer and the largest 245 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: user of natural gas in the world. Okay, so what 246 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: about nuclear I mean, the the US is the biggest 247 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:13,599 Speaker 1: producer there too, right, Definitely, so the US is the 248 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: biggest producer by a pretty wide margin. It's nearly twice 249 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: as much the next biggest, and that would be France. 250 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: But it is interesting way when you look at France, 251 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: like how they use it. They produce a whopping seventy 252 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: eight percent of its electricity from nuclear power. Yeah, and 253 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: China produces about three percent of its power from nuclear 254 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 1: But China appears to be investing more than pretty much 255 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: everyone else in the space. So just last year they 256 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: brought on five new reactors, which is the most they've 257 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: ever brought on in a year, and they're almost a 258 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: couple dozen more being built right now. In fact, China 259 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: accounted for pretty much all of the global nuclear power 260 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: increase in two thousand sixteen. That's huge. All right. Well, well, 261 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: I know we're going to take a break for a 262 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: quiz in a minute, but before we do, I feel 263 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: like I can actually hear some of our listeners screaming 264 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: at their phones or speakers and saying, you know, why 265 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: did you put nuclear in the no on renewable sources 266 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: of energy? Because nuclear will be very good for air quality, 267 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: and I feel like we need to address that really quickly. Yeah. So, 268 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 1: there's this ongoing debate of where to classify nuclear energy, 269 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 1: and part of the debate just has to do with 270 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,559 Speaker 1: how exactly you define renewable energy. Yeah, that's right. And technically, 271 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: renewable energy is a form that's capable of regenerating or 272 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:27,200 Speaker 1: replenishing itself indefinitely. So we're typically talking hydro solar, wind, geothermal, biomass. 273 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: But you know, nuclear energy, on the other hand, generally 274 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 1: requires uranium for the fission process, and that's where the 275 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: heat is generated. Then the nuclear plants convert this heat 276 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: into the electricity using steam. So according to that definition, 277 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 1: uranium is this finite resource. Yeah, but those in support 278 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: of classifying it as a renewable resource, they point out 279 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: that one of the main points of focusing on renewable 280 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: resources is to create cleaner power, and that nuclear power 281 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 1: provides this low carbon emission option, so they argue that 282 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: focus shouldn't be on whether the resources technically finite so 283 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 1: much as whether it reduces carbon emissions. But many opponents 284 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: are actually not pointing to its status as of finite 285 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: resources their main objection. I mean, many of them feel 286 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: that the harmful nuclear waste that's produced in the process 287 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,720 Speaker 1: of creating nuclear energy, that's what's problematic and allowing it 288 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: to be classified as renewable. But either way, it's definitely 289 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: a much cleaner source than coal when it comes to 290 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: carbon emissions, and this is something China appears to be 291 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: taking pretty seriously. Well, now that we've got out of 292 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: our system, why don't we take a quick break for 293 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 1: a quiz. So I want to be honest about something. 294 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: So our guest today, Um certainly has many international connections, 295 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: and that might have been part of the excuse for 296 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: bringing on the show today, but I actually want to 297 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: admit that the real reason that she's on is she's 298 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 1: the first person who's written in with the fun fact 299 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: that her older brother is a competitive curler in the 300 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: state of North Dakota. Have you have you ever met 301 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: anyone who's a curler in the state of North Dakota Ango, No, 302 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: I haven't. So that's that's that's a big bonus here. 303 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: But Jordan Terry, welcome to Part Time Genius. Thanks for 304 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: having me guys. So, Jordan, where are you joining us 305 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: from today? I am in Denver, Colorado. Wonderful. I love Denver. Well, 306 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: we'll tell us a little bit of what you do there. 307 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: Um So, I'm in Denver because I'm studying to get 308 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: my massive degree in global finance. Um So, we do 309 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: study a lot about trade and specifically China for sure. 310 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: Um But I am also working full time remotely right 311 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: now UM as an academic director for an intercultural institute 312 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: that has locations all over the world. Um So, I 313 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: work in terms of managing teachers and supporting academic departments 314 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: at UM several institutes that have academic programs for locals, 315 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: and we work in a lot of areas that have 316 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: like development needs so that we can receive international students 317 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: who want to study abroad and also do some volunteering 318 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: abroad as well. I think that's super cool, that's wonderful. 319 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 1: I do have to ask though, when you share the 320 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: fact about your brother being a competitive curler, is that 321 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: true or were you really just using that to try 322 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: to get on the show. It is true. He's my 323 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: younger brother actually, um. And so he is a junior 324 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: at North Dakota State University and he decided to go 325 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: there because he'd be able to continue curling. Um. And 326 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: we're actually hoping for Bago for the Winter Olympics for 327 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: him and his teammates. So our fingers are crossed. That's amazing. 328 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 1: I actually saw on TV last night, I think the 329 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 1: US curling team was playing the Scottish curling team, which 330 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: is is just amazing that that's a televised event. But uh, 331 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: I also really love that you come from this family 332 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: of athletes, right. Your dad was in the Junior Olympics 333 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: as a skier. But but you've read Harry Potter every 334 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: book at least two dozen times? Is that true? That 335 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: is true. I'm not as huge a fan of the movies. 336 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: I have seen them all multiple times, um, But I 337 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: grew up with Harry Potter. I got the first and 338 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: second books right after they came out, and so in 339 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: the anticipation every year of waiting for the next book 340 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: to come out. I would reread them all over and 341 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: over again. I say, the first three or four I've 342 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: read even more than that, and then the last few, 343 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: like I do an annual reread of the whole series. 344 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: And that's wonderful. It's a true athlete, just like the 345 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: rest of the family. That's uh, that's amazing. Alright. Well, 346 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: as you know, today's episode is asking the question about 347 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 1: whether China will become a green superpower, and so we're 348 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 1: focused on several alternative energies in this in this episode. 349 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: But Mango, what what quiz are we putting Jordan to 350 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: the test with today? It's called the Alternative Alternative Energy Quiz? 351 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: All right, the Alternative Alternative Energy Quiz. We've got five 352 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: true or false questions for you. Are you ready Jordan's 353 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 1: I guess? Okay, here we go. Question number one. In Rotterdam, 354 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: there's a sustained bill dance club called Club What where 355 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: the electricity for the lights and speakers is generated by 356 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: footsteps from ravers feet. Is this true or false? That 357 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,640 Speaker 1: has to be true? Yeah, it is. And the club 358 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: also features a tapwater bar and toilets that are flushed 359 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:21,919 Speaker 1: with rainwater. Wow, alright, She's one for one. Question number two. 360 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: In two thousand eleven, two artists designed a line of 361 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 1: carnivorous furniture based on venus fly traps. Their digital clock 362 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: catches insects and can be powered for twelve days on 363 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 1: eight dead flies. Is this true or false? That is 364 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: so ridiculous. I could imagine Mango writing that fact, but oh, 365 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: it's actually true. They also have a lamp powered on 366 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:50,440 Speaker 1: insects and a table that feeds on mice and has 367 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: lights on under it. It's crazy. I have to be 368 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: honest with you, Jordan. I I felt for that one 369 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 1: as well. As soon as I read that, I was like, Oh, 370 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,640 Speaker 1: that's a total Mango lie. That is that's too good 371 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:03,960 Speaker 1: to be through. Alright, one one out of two. The 372 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 1: question number three, The Army has developed a line of 373 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 1: radios and phones that run on sugar cubes instead of 374 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: batteries using Splendor. However, will jam up the circuits? True? 375 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:20,479 Speaker 1: Or faults that? Yeah? You're right, all right. Question number four. 376 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: Iceland runs a deep drilling project that's been drilling three 377 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 1: miles into the ground to harness energy from super hot magma. 378 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: True or faults? Um? I don't know. Iceland is a 379 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: pretty I think Iceland is a pretty sustainable place and 380 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: lots of drilling doesn't really line up, But that does 381 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,640 Speaker 1: sound like something that could be possible, so true. Yeah, 382 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: you're right. I mean Iceland uses a number of these 383 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: geo thermal wells, but this one should actually be able 384 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: to supply fifty homes with natural energy. Alright, that's awesome. 385 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: So Jordan, you're three out of four so far, the 386 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: last one for the Big Prize. Here we go, question 387 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: number five. In Australia, dairy armors have been tying special 388 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: plastic bags two cows backsides to capture their gas, or 389 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: rather their methane gas. They then sell the energy back 390 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:15,360 Speaker 1: to the state. Is this true or false? Yeah, you're right. 391 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 1: I mean there are a few scientists working on extracting 392 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: methane from cow patties, but actually bagging your cow from 393 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: the behind isn't actually a practice. Let's not use that 394 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: phrase anymore. I think maybe we should avoid that one. 395 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 1: But all right, question so she Uh so Jordan has 396 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: gotten four out of five? Is that right? Mango? Yeah? Absolutely, 397 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,479 Speaker 1: and that entitles her to our big prize, which today 398 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: is will be pony expressing her an official part time 399 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: Genius Certificate of Genius which you can put on her 400 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: fridge or frame for her mother, and will also send 401 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 1: her a box of Nerd Candies, which is the official 402 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 1: candy of Part Time Genius. Wow. Well, congratulations, Jordan's best 403 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: of luck to you and your job, and best of 404 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: luck to your brother and his efforts to to go 405 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: of Beijing and the next Olympics. But thank you so 406 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 1: much for joining us today on Part Time Genius. My pleasure. Guys, 407 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 1: thank you. Welcome back to Part Time Genius. So before 408 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: the break, we were looking at the breakdown of China's 409 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: primary sources of energy. We had coal, oil, nuclear, and 410 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 1: to a lesser extent, natural gas. So let's talk about 411 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:34,680 Speaker 1: the investment in renewable energies and this idea that China 412 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: could become the big superpower because of their investment in 413 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: green technologies. Yeah. So, as we talked about earlier in 414 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: the show, China's ranked up its investment in renewable energy 415 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 1: significantly since two thousand four. They've gone from a total 416 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: of three billion dollars in two thousand four to a 417 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 1: hundred and three billion in two thousand fifteen, and now 418 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: in two thousand and sixteen that number did fall to 419 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,160 Speaker 1: a little below ninety billion, as it did in many 420 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: locations across the globe, and that's partly because of these 421 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 1: populist movements that have been taken hold across the globe. 422 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: So that's like the ones experience in the UK with 423 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: the Independence Party and here in the US with Donald Trump. 424 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: But even at this level, we're still talking thirty times 425 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: more than what was spending two thousand four. Yeah, it's 426 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,439 Speaker 1: a huge increase. And the Chinese government officials announced in 427 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: January that the country plans to spend over three hundred 428 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 1: and sixty billion dollars on renewable energy through and they've 429 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,920 Speaker 1: stated goals of having fifteen percent of energy consumption being 430 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 1: from renewable sources by and then thirty by, which is crazy. 431 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: But this is the part I'm excited to talk about, 432 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: and that's why China is making these changes, and that 433 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: is what what are their motivations, because there's more involved 434 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 1: than just making a cleaner environment. Yeah it's true, you know, 435 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: but the public outcry over deadly urban air pollution has 436 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: accelerated this push for clean energy. NPR recently had this 437 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: story on how China's middle class has really been pushing 438 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 1: for change, and that the state run paper had a 439 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,360 Speaker 1: story on three mothers and how they were dealing with pollution. 440 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: One of them kept their kids inside barricaded with multiple 441 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: air purifiers running. One moved away from the city entirely 442 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: just for her children's health, and the story was heavily circulated. 443 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: That is, of course, before the government censored it. There 444 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: was also this two thousand fifteen documentary called Under the Dome. 445 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,239 Speaker 1: It was watched two hundred million times and praised by 446 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,880 Speaker 1: the environmental ministry before that also got pulled by the government. 447 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: And the government is clearly aware of the problem, but 448 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,239 Speaker 1: it's also very clear that it doesn't want to be 449 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 1: criticized for it either. Well, it's hard to ignore the 450 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: I mean, National Geographic estimated that more than one million 451 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: people die each year due to air pollution. So that 452 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: urban middle classes making noise for a reason. Yeah, but 453 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:42,880 Speaker 1: like you were heading at that, you know, the other 454 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: compelling reason is the economic impact. Is Anton lu who's 455 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: a professor at Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, 456 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:54,199 Speaker 1: told National Geographic quote, it's not just pollution that's driving 457 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: the determined focus on renewable power. Leaders have made clear 458 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 1: that they view clean energy as a powerful engine for 459 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:04,880 Speaker 1: job creation. It's about setting up for manufacturing dominance. China 460 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: sees green energy as an opportunity where it can become 461 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: a manufacturing monster, the way it has in clothes and 462 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: toys monster. So I know, I'm just stringing quotes here, 463 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: which is something my journalism teacher from high school and 464 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: mrs where he asked me never to do. But this 465 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,640 Speaker 1: is not a good quote from the Financial Times Deputy 466 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:24,239 Speaker 1: Beijing bureau chief and her name's Lucy Hornsby, and this 467 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: is what she says. Quote. The Chinese point of view 468 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: is that, Okay, everyone's worried about climate change. The western 469 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 1: countries are about to plow a whole lot of money 470 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: into trying to stop it happening. We can supply the 471 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 1: manufactured goods, we can supply the wind turbines, we can 472 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: supply the solar panels. So the whole paris climate change 473 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:47,640 Speaker 1: action is viewed as a massive export opportunity for China inc. So, 474 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:49,880 Speaker 1: I mean you can see there this investment is definitely 475 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 1: creating jobs. And if you remember that four million coal 476 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: miners that we were talking about, well, China already claims 477 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: to have three point five million jobs in the clean 478 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: energy space, which is far more than any other country, 479 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: and the goal is to create ten million jobs in 480 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: clean energy and that's part of this move to have 481 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: fifteen percent of energy coming from clean energy sources by 482 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:14,160 Speaker 1: ten million, that is huge. Well, I think many would 483 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 1: see this as the real motivator for China's investment. And 484 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: we'll talk in a few minutes about why there's some 485 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 1: real skepticism over their desire to actually battle global warming. 486 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 1: But let's get back to where China stands in their 487 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 1: investments in renewable energy. So which one of these do 488 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: you want to talk about first? Well, I think we 489 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: should talk about hydropower, just because I like saying the 490 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: word hydro d So, China produces more hydro electricity than 491 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: any other country on Earth, and it's not even close. 492 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 1: Like Canada comes in second, and they only produce about 493 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:44,440 Speaker 1: one third of what China does. And if you want 494 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: to illustrate what their investment has done, in nineteen seventy three, 495 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 1: China produced about three percent of the world's hydro electric power, 496 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: and the two thousand fifteen it was nearly about a 497 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: fifth of their electricity comes from hydro power. That's impressive. 498 00:25:58,080 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: What we should pause for a second though, to note 499 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:02,160 Speaker 1: the country that gets the greatest percentage of its power 500 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: from hydro electricity. I was looking this up and it's 501 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:08,919 Speaker 1: actually Norway. So they get about nineties six pc of 502 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 1: their power from hydro Isn't that incredible? It is. I 503 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 1: feel like we should send them a certificate of some kind. 504 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,879 Speaker 1: Let's let's work on it, and definitely so check your 505 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 1: mail Norway sometime in the future. Anyway, let's talk about 506 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:23,920 Speaker 1: another one where China has grown its global share tenfold 507 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: over the past decade, and that's wind power. So just 508 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:29,959 Speaker 1: a second, I'm going to pull out these stats. So 509 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: they went from producing about two percent of the world's 510 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: wind power in two thousand five to in two thousand fifteen. 511 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 1: And the US currently produces a slightly larger percentage at 512 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: but given the level of investment, you have to imagine 513 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,360 Speaker 1: China is going to be passing the US before too long. Well, 514 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 1: when you look at these numbers, I don't think there's 515 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: any question about that. And here are some recent numbers 516 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 1: I saw from earlier this year. China produces almost half 517 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:56,959 Speaker 1: of the world's wind turbines Goldwin, which is a Chinese 518 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: company is now the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world, 519 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: and five of the top ten wind turbine manufacturers of 520 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: the world are in China. I mean, that's just huge. 521 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: And according to New York Times, one out of every 522 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 1: three turbines in the world is also located in China. So, 523 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: you know, while the US may have produced slightly more 524 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: power in recent years from wind, with all the new 525 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 1: wind turbines in China, there's something like nine two thousand 526 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: of them, and they have the capacity to generate almost 527 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: twice as much wind power as the US. So well, 528 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 1: only three percent of China's power is currently coming from wind, 529 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: that that number doesn't fully reflect the impact they're having 530 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: on the industry and how that sector is positioned for 531 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: significant growth there. Yeah, and one of the issues they're 532 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 1: currently dealing with now is how much of their wind 533 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:43,199 Speaker 1: power is being wasted or curtailed as they might say. So, 534 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: what's I mean exactly? Well, curtailman is something that you 535 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: hear about when wind turbines or solar panels stopped producing 536 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 1: and this is happening even though they could produce more, 537 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: and as a result, you lose that surplus energy and 538 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,439 Speaker 1: This often happens if a power grid is overwhelmed and 539 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: not really appropriately equipped to handle all the energy coming 540 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,360 Speaker 1: into it. Look at the numbers. In two thousand sixteen, 541 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: nearly twenty of wind energy was lost because of curtailment. 542 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: So that's something the government is really trying to tackle 543 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: and they have a plan to get that down to 544 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:16,479 Speaker 1: about five percent by Okay. So before we move on, 545 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:18,439 Speaker 1: we we forgot to name the country that gets the 546 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 1: greatest percentage of its power from wind, and that title 547 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 1: belongs to Spain at about eighteen So great job, Space. Yeah, 548 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,120 Speaker 1: you might also get a sort of you will get 549 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: a certificate wo stepping up. Okay, all right, so we 550 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,360 Speaker 1: just mentioned solar, so why don't we talk about that 551 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,720 Speaker 1: one next. And this is another one where even though 552 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: they're at about one percent of their electricity generated coming 553 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: from solar, they're still playing a huge role in the 554 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: future of this industry. Again, just look at the numbers. 555 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: So China is now producing two thirds of the world's 556 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: solar panels, and in a five year period they've increased 557 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: their solar power production tenfold. In two thousand and fifteen, 558 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 1: they produced eighteen percent of the world solar electricity. And 559 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: I saw one quote from the New York Times earlier 560 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: this year, and that said quote Greenpeace estimates that China 561 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 1: covered the equivalent of one soccer field every hour with 562 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 1: solar panels. Wow, and I know you're a big soccer fans. 563 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: I'm sure that quote really hit home with you. Yeah, 564 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 1: but just look at what their investment has done in 565 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: this industry. So six of the top ten solar panel 566 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: manufacturers are Chinese companies, and two thirds of the world's 567 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: solar panels come from China. I mean, they're the ones 568 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: responsible for the huge decline in prices, and some estimates 569 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:33,120 Speaker 1: has solar panel pricing falling by as much as over 570 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:35,440 Speaker 1: the past ten years or so. So when you think 571 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: about it from an environmental perspective, this investment has been 572 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 1: a good thing. But again it's largely driven by economics 573 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: and China wants to own this space. And now there 574 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: are more than two and a half million people employed 575 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:49,960 Speaker 1: by the solar power industry there. That's about ten times 576 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: as many people employed by that industry in the US. 577 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,240 Speaker 1: And China is now home did the largest solar farm 578 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 1: on Earth. And here's how Tom Phillips, he's a reporter 579 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 1: for The Guardian described it, quote, high on the Tibetan Plateau, 580 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,280 Speaker 1: a sea of nearly four million deep blue panels flows 581 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: towards a spectacular horizon of snow capped mountains, mile after 582 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 1: mile of silicon cells tilting skywards from what was once 583 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 1: a barren, wind swept cattle ranch. The remote seven square 584 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: kilometers solar farm tops an ever expanding roll call of 585 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: supersized symbols that underlying China's determination to transform itself from 586 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 1: climate villain to green superpower. And that's a cool description. 587 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: But actually, just as a side, now, did you hear 588 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 1: about the huge solar panel farm that's actually shaped like 589 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 1: a giant panda bear? I mean I did see that, 590 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: but I was curious, what was it actually real? Yeah, 591 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 1: this was pretty widely reported on it and when I 592 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 1: saw the image at first, I wondered the same thing, 593 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: and so I turned to the always fascinating Snopes just 594 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: to check this out. And it it turns out the 595 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 1: solar panel farm itself is real. But the image that 596 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: was all over the place you might have seen on 597 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: various websites, that was just an artist rendering and it's 598 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: not an actual photo. But the farm is apparently two 599 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: d and five acres, and there are plans to build 600 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 1: a hundred more of these panda shaped solar farms across 601 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: China and other countries in Asia. Kind of makes you 602 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 1: want to just travel by plane across the country when 603 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:12,680 Speaker 1: all of these are there, just to see them. And 604 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: it's totally worth googling just to see the image, even 605 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: if it's not an actual photo. Yeah. I mean, it's 606 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: fascinating to see how Chinese companies are improving their solar 607 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: technology each year, and they're figuring out how to build 608 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 1: these panels cheaper and cheaper, but still maintaining this incredible 609 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 1: level of quality. And they're not just selling to the 610 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: US anymore. I mean, we're we're talking countries like Saudi 611 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: Arabia and India, whether they need to provide panels for 612 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:37,600 Speaker 1: extremely dry climates, are incredibly humid ones, they're finding ways 613 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: to produce them well. And this has all happened because 614 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 1: of this huge government push to get really low interest 615 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: rate loans too solar panel manufacturers. And I want to 616 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 1: say it was something like eighteen billion dollars in loans. 617 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: The government got state owned banks to give to these companies, 618 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 1: and this was just over a six or seven year period. 619 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: So the focus on investing in these kinds of businesses 620 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 1: and becoming a leader in them is also connected to 621 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: mine is Belt and Road initiative, and this is the 622 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 1: massive infrastructure investment. China's leading across the historic Silk Road 623 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 1: and that connects Asia to Europe. They've got nearly seventy 624 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 1: countries to join in this effort in some way, and 625 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: the plan is for China to invest about I think 626 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: it's like a hundred and fifty billion dollars each year 627 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 1: in infrastructure. So we're talking bridges, roads, railways, power plants, pipelines, 628 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 1: things like that. And you know, this is definitely a 629 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 1: very different China than we were used to seeing, you know, 630 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 1: just a couple of decades ago. Well, I mean that 631 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 1: brings us back to the comment earlier about China's real 632 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: motivation in this massive investment in green technologies. Yeah, well, 633 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: the huge outcry from the urban middle class definitely had 634 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: an impact, you know, as as as Beth Gardner noted 635 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: in a PC wrote for National Geographic Quote, the results 636 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 1: are sometimes more cosmetic than real. Leaders order temporary factory 637 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: closures to clear the air ahead of something. You know, 638 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: these high profile events like international summits, they close factories 639 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: for weeks in November December just so the city won't 640 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 1: exceed its annual pollut shin limit. That's crazy. But what 641 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: seems even more alarming to me is that while coal 642 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: plant construction is being limited within Chinese borders, Chinese companies 643 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: are actually building coal plants abroad. And when you look 644 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: at the new coal projects going online over the next 645 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:17,320 Speaker 1: decade or so, Chinese companies are responsible for about half 646 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: of them, and countries like India, Vietnam, Mongolia, Iran, Indonesia. 647 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:25,040 Speaker 1: Some of these are in countries that haven't historically used 648 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 1: coal as an energy source, and they're looking to expand 649 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 1: in places like Pakistan and Egypt, which aren't currently really 650 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: cold burning countries. So while we might be celebrating the 651 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:38,000 Speaker 1: significant investment in green technologies in China itself, like these 652 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:40,480 Speaker 1: new plants in the works would increase the world's capacity 653 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:44,200 Speaker 1: to burn coal by over well. And I was looking 654 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:45,960 Speaker 1: at a figure the other day, so two of the 655 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,600 Speaker 1: big global banks in China have finance more than forty 656 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 1: billion dollars in overseas coal projects over the past couple 657 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,720 Speaker 1: of decades. I think it's pretty clear that China maybe 658 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 1: trying to some extent to clean up their own small 659 00:33:57,040 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 1: and pollution problem, but I'm not sure how much they 660 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: care about the real global situation. Yeah, but I still 661 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: feel like there are a couple of reasons to be optimistic. 662 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 1: So first, as we talked about earlier, China's massive investment 663 00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: has caused the prices of renewable technologies to drop significantly 664 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:14,880 Speaker 1: across the globe, and they'll likely continue to get cheaper. 665 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:18,200 Speaker 1: There's a Chinese company currently constructing a solar farm in 666 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:21,640 Speaker 1: the UAE, and it's going to produce electricity for much 667 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 1: less than it costs US companies to produce both solar 668 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:27,440 Speaker 1: and coal power. Well, and I also saw it's much 669 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:29,799 Speaker 1: faster to build a solar or wind farm than it 670 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:31,760 Speaker 1: is to get a coal fired plan up and running. 671 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:33,799 Speaker 1: I mean, we're we're talking a huge difference. It's something 672 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: like six months versus about ten years. I had no 673 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 1: idea it took that long. So another thing is that 674 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 1: China is certainly not alone in implementing new policies to 675 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:45,719 Speaker 1: restrict coal productions. So take India for example, They're trying 676 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:49,399 Speaker 1: to get over half their energy from renewable sources by seven, 677 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:52,440 Speaker 1: and that's just incredible. You have to think that worldwide 678 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 1: momentum is just going to continue. Yeah, and it that 679 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,319 Speaker 1: is incredible, it's it's also encouraging. Yeah. So there's one 680 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:00,759 Speaker 1: more big reason to be optimistic, and that's the fact 681 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:03,319 Speaker 1: that investors are much more likely to get behind clean 682 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: energy projects these days. The World Bank doesn't provide financing 683 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 1: to overseas coal projects and that's, you know, aside from 684 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 1: the rare exception because of extreme circumstances, and many Chinese 685 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,360 Speaker 1: banks are falling in line with this practice. So a 686 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: lot of analysts think we're just seeing the beginning of 687 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:23,080 Speaker 1: this tremendous acceleration of renewable adoption around the world. Well, 688 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 1: those those definitely seem like reasons to be optimistic. And 689 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:27,920 Speaker 1: but but I do feel like there's maybe one more 690 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:30,360 Speaker 1: reason to be optimistic. Is a fact off time you 691 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 1: bet it is? M all right, well, I'll kick us 692 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,960 Speaker 1: off here. So have you heard about America's first completely 693 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:48,040 Speaker 1: solar powered community? Is this seventeen thousand acre town in 694 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:51,400 Speaker 1: South Florida, and it's called Babcock Ranch. It's expected to 695 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:54,279 Speaker 1: begin accepting residents before the end of the year and 696 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:56,200 Speaker 1: The project has taken about a decade or so to 697 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:58,839 Speaker 1: get together, but it's coming soon. And when you're there, 698 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 1: you'll be able to get around by self driving shuttles. 699 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 1: And that's pretty interesting to read about. But you better 700 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: hurry because the town's capacity is only fifty thousand. So 701 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,399 Speaker 1: I've got a solar power fact too. We talked about 702 00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 1: the panda shaped solar panel farm, but there's a hundred 703 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:17,480 Speaker 1: square mile floating solar farm in the Anui province. I mean, 704 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:19,839 Speaker 1: like in the air, floating and no, I mean it's 705 00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 1: in water. Their waveproof solar panels, and and they're floating 706 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 1: on a lake that formed, oddly enough after the collapse 707 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:29,000 Speaker 1: of a network of coal mines. It's the world's largest 708 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:32,120 Speaker 1: floating solar project, and it generates enough power to provide 709 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:35,759 Speaker 1: electricity to a significant portion of a city nearby. I 710 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:37,919 Speaker 1: mean the government plans to expand the system to about 711 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:40,799 Speaker 1: a dozen other locations, which would then generate the power 712 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,719 Speaker 1: equivalent of a commercial nuclear reactor. Did you know that 713 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:45,840 Speaker 1: part of the reason people are speaking up in China 714 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:48,719 Speaker 1: about the environment is because of religion. According to the 715 00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 1: New York Times, hundreds of millions of people in China 716 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 1: have turned to Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam recently, and 717 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:57,360 Speaker 1: apparently as concepts like karma and sin have come to 718 00:36:57,400 --> 00:36:59,799 Speaker 1: the forefront, the public has paid more attention to their 719 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,719 Speaker 1: impact on the environment and the world. People have also 720 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 1: used their religions as a reason to speak up. That's 721 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:08,279 Speaker 1: really fascinating. So in two thousand tend the Wall Street 722 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 1: Journal report on a scientist at Berkeley who determined how 723 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 1: to trace pollutents back to areas of origin. And this 724 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: is what she found. Apparently twenty nine percent of the 725 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 1: pollution in the East Bay traced back to China. I mean, 726 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: the article ended on this smart point though quote. The 727 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:24,640 Speaker 1: question now is how much of that twenty nine percent 728 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,680 Speaker 1: can be attributed to San Francisco's penchant for China made 729 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,680 Speaker 1: iPhones and iPads. All Right, So we talked earlier about 730 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 1: the significant growth of the auto market in China, and 731 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 1: China is also the leader in electric vehicle sales, with 732 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 1: nearly half of all electric vehicles sold in two thousand 733 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 1: sixteen being in China. Well, I know that's impressive, but 734 00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:44,960 Speaker 1: I think I've got an even more staggering figure, and 735 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:48,480 Speaker 1: that's that there are now two hundred million electric bikes 736 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 1: in China, which is way more than the six electric 737 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:55,480 Speaker 1: cars and three electric buses there. I mean, they're a 738 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:57,839 Speaker 1: great option for those who can afford cars but are 739 00:37:57,840 --> 00:38:00,239 Speaker 1: looking for an easier way to commute. Plus is their 740 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: mission free. Two hundred million of these things? All right, Well, 741 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: I have to admit, a mag you've definitely one up 742 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:08,600 Speaker 1: to me here, so I'm going to give you the 743 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:12,239 Speaker 1: Fact Off Trophy today. Congratulations, excellent, and I'm never giving 744 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:14,840 Speaker 1: it back. All right, all right, hey, guys, thanks so 745 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 1: much for listening. Don't forget we love hearing from you. 746 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:20,319 Speaker 1: Call us any time on Fact hot Line. That's one 747 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: eight four four pt Genius or email us at part 748 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:25,719 Speaker 1: Time Genius at how stuff Works dot com. A big 749 00:38:25,760 --> 00:38:28,760 Speaker 1: thanks to Jocelyn Sears for her excellent research on this episode. 750 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:44,440 Speaker 1: See you next time. Thanks again for listening. Part Time 751 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:46,680 Speaker 1: Genius is a production of How Stuff Works and wouldn't 752 00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:49,480 Speaker 1: be possible without several brilliant people who do the important 753 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:52,520 Speaker 1: things we couldn't even begin to understand. Tristan McNeil does 754 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:54,920 Speaker 1: the editing thing. Noel Brown made the theme song and 755 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 1: does the mixy mixy sound thing. Jerry Rowland does the 756 00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: exact producer thing. Gay Bluesiers lead researcher with support from 757 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:04,960 Speaker 1: the Research Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown and Lucas Adams, 758 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:06,880 Speaker 1: and Eves. Jeff Cook gets the show to your ears. 759 00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:09,000 Speaker 1: Good job, Eves. If you like what you heard, we 760 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:11,160 Speaker 1: hope you'll subscribe, And if you really really like what 761 00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:13,279 Speaker 1: you've heard, maybe you could leave a good review for us. 762 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:15,600 Speaker 1: Do we do? We forget Jason? Jason who