Publications

Featured papers and articles

Fewer than 15% of coal power plant workers in China can easily shift to green jobs by 2060

A coal power worker needs to travel 194 (178–242) km on average to access a green job. Only 11%–14% of existing coal power workers will transition to green jobs by 2060.

Deploying solar photovoltaic energy first in carbon-intensive regions brings gigatons more carbon mitigations to 2060

Communications Earth & Environment

A net GHG mitigation of 1.29 Gt CO2-equivalent from 2009–2019, achieved by 1.97 Gt of mitigation from installation minus 0.68 Gt of emissions from manufacturing.

Heterogeneous effects of battery storage deployment strategies on decarbonization of provincial power systems in China

Nature Communications

We find heterogeneous strategy provides the lowest system costs, however, carbon emissions depend on carbon prices.

Global assessment of the carbon–water tradeoff of dry cooling for thermal power generation

We build a global unit-level framework to investigate the CO2 emission and energy penalty due to the deployment of dry cooling.

Climate change impacts on planned supply–demand match in global wind and solar energy systems

Nature Energy

Up to 32% or 44% of non-Antarctic land areas for wind or solar, respectively, are projected to experience supply demand match reductions by the end of this century under an…

Quantifying the cost savings of global solar photovoltaic supply chains

Globalized supply chain has saved solar installers in the U.S., Germany, and China $67B 2008-2020, and solar prices will be 20-30% higher in 2030 if countries move to…

Challenges and opportunities for carbon neutrality in China

Nature Reviews Earth & Environment

In this Perspective, we summarize the key features of China’s CO2 emissions, its reduction processes and successes in meeting climate targets.

Enabling a Rapid and Just Transition away from Coal in China

Aggressive coal-transition pathway is needed to achieve carbon nutrality goal while achieving water saving, avoiding premature death.

Rapid cost decrease of renewables and storage accelerates the decarbonization of China’s power system

Nature Communications

A renewable dominant pathway is not just technogical sound, but also cost effective.

SWITCH-China: A Systems Approach to Decarbonizing China’s Power System

Environmental Science & Technology

SWITCH-China, an integrated model for power sector decarbonization.