Octave the sources of funding are absolutely not relevant! Thank goodness someone is funding independent thought and studies. I suspect, but obviously cannot prove, that the destruction of established Western energy systems is an outcome of massive political/green propaganda directed over decades primarily by China and Russia. I will not live long enough to find out the truth.
So much of what is stated on this forum derives from that propaganda. To take one example, the myth that China is going green. China is selling US the solar panels and wind turbines. Meanwhile what is it doing? The following is from an AI query:
As of early 2026, China has 59 nuclear power plants in operation and 28 additional reactors under construction, totaling more than 32 GW of new nuclear capacity. Recent projects include the Lufeng Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong province, where construction of Unit 1 has begun using the CAP1000 pressurized water reactor design, while Units 5 and 6 are already under construction with Hualong One technology. China’s nuclear expansion is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on coal, with the Lufeng plant alone expected to save 15.77 million tons of coal annually and cut 42.69 million tons of CO₂ emissions. The country also plans to deploy nuclear reactors at retiring coal sites under the “Coal to Nuclear” (C2N) program, leveraging existing infrastructure to accelerate construction and reduce costs.
Despite nuclear growth, China is simultaneously experiencing a resurgence in coal-fired power construction. In 2024, construction began on 94.5 GW of new coal capacity, with an additional 3.3 GW of previously suspended projects resumed, marking the highest level of coal construction in a decade. This expansion is driven by domestic investment and energy security concerns, even as China works toward its dual-carbon goals of peaking emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. Coal still accounts for over half of China’s electricity generation, and the country has about 1.2 TW of coal-fired capacity, with roughly 100 GW slated for retirement in the next five years.
China’s energy strategy reflects a dual approach: rapidly expanding nuclear power to reduce carbon emissions while maintaining coal capacity to ensure energy security and meet growing electricity demand. The C2N initiative exemplifies this approach by converting retiring coal plants into nuclear facilities, taking advantage of existing grid connections, cooling systems, and land. Advanced nuclear technologies, including Generation IV reactors and Hualong One designs, are central to this transition, enabling higher efficiency and integration with existing coal infrastructure.
