**Report:** Emissions Reduction from China's Clean Energy Exports in 2024: A Global Impact of 1% Decrease in Overseas Carbon Dioxide Levels
In a significant shift towards clean energy, China's rapid expansion in manufacturing and exports of clean-energy technologies is reshaping emissions trajectories in various key regions, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2024, the clean-energy industries contributed more than 10% of China's GDP, generating an estimated total economic output of US$1.9 trillion. This economic powerhouse was reflected in the exports of solar panels, electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, and wind turbines, which amounted to US$177 billion, representing roughly 5% of China's total exports.
These exports have played a crucial role in lowering costs and improving access to technology in the recipient regions, accelerating clean-energy deployment and shifting emissions outlooks downward. The annual emission reductions, estimated at 220 million tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2), correspond to about 1% of global CO2 emissions and are comparable to the entire carbon footprint of a large country such as Spain.
However, the energy- and carbon-intensive manufacturing process of these products results in upfront carbon emissions. In 2024, the manufacturing of these clean-energy technologies emitted about 110 MtCO2. Despite this, the operational lifetime of these products prevents a cumulative total of around 4 billion tonnes (4 GtCO2) of CO2 emissions, which is nearly 40 times the upfront emissions incurred during manufacture.
The largest emission reductions are associated with direct clean-technology equipment exports, particularly solar panels. There is wide variance between different destinations, with EVs exported to countries with the most carbon-intensive power generation resulting in no reduction in CO2 emissions from their operation under current conditions.
China's central role in global supply chains has raised concerns over supply security, with many countries now taking steps to diversify their sourcing of key components such as solar panels, batteries, and EVs. If China maintains its current global market share, its clean-tech exports could reach US$1.1 trillion by 2035.
The clean-tech footprint of China spans essentially the entire world, with exports to 191 of the 192 UN member states. The downstream value of overseas clean-energy products and projects relying on Chinese components is an estimated US$720 billion annually, four times the value of the exported raw components.
This analysis contradicts narratives linking China’s clean-tech manufacturing boom solely to rising emissions, demonstrating instead that the global climate benefits far exceed the carbon costs of production. The left-most shape in the figure shows the CO2 intensity of electricity generation in countries taking clean-energy exports from China. The width of the shape indicates the share of exports, by value, going to countries with a given carbon intensity.
In summary, despite the energy- and carbon-intensive manufacturing process, the clean-technology exports from China create a substantial net reduction in global CO2 emissions, with immediate and long-term climate benefits that outweigh the initial production footprint by a large margin.
- By 2024, China's clean-energy industries, including solar panels, electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, and wind turbines, contributed over 10% of its GDP, generating an estimated total economic output of US$1.9 trillion.
- These exports of clean-energy technologies, amounting to US$177 billion in 2024, played a crucial role in lowering costs and improving technology access in recipient regions, accelerating clean-energy deployment and shifting emissions outlooks downward.
- However, the energy- and carbon-intensive manufacturing process of these products resulted in upfront carbon emissions of about 110 MtCO2 in 2024.
- Despite the manufacturing emissions, the operational lifetime of these products prevented a cumulative total of around 4 billion tonnes (4 GtCO2) of CO2 emissions, which is nearly 40 times the upfront emissions incurred during manufacture.
- The clean-tech footprint of China spans essentially the entire world, with exports to 191 of the 192 UN member states, and the downstream value of overseas clean-energy products and projects relying on Chinese components is an estimated US$720 billion annually.
