The transition to green energy must be understood not as a cost but as an investment in stability, independence and long-term prosperity

The global energy crisis is driven not by a scarcity of resources but by a dangerous reliance on a geopolitically volatile fossil fuel system. Europe’s vulnerability — a result of passive dependence on imported hydrocarbons — has turned energy insecurity into a recurring crisis, with households and industries bearing the brunt of price volatility and supply chain disruptions. This is not merely a market inefficiency; it is a structural flaw in the architecture of modern economies. The transition to new energy is, therefore, no longer only a climate policy option, but a strategic imperative for national and economic security.

Unlike fossil fuels, whose supply chains are hostage to choke points and political instability, as can be seen in the Strait of Hormuz, renewable energy offers a paradigm of inherent resilience. Sunlight requires no naval escorts; wind power is not subject to embargoes. By investing in and scaling these technologies, nations can reclaim energy sovereignty, insulating themselves from the zero-sum geopolitical contests that have long defined resource competition. The shift is already underway: Every installed solar panel and every commissioned wind farm reduces exposure to external volatility and strengthens domestic industrial foundations.

The evidence is clear. Countries that have moved decisively to deploy renewables are not only cutting emissions — they are building more resilient, self-reliant and economically competitive societies. The green transition, therefore, must be understood not as a cost but as an investment in stability, independence and long-term prosperity. In a world of mounting uncertainty, new energy is the only credible answer to the oldest question of how to secure a nation’s future.

Amid this global strategic awakening, China’s choices and actions stand out. China’s energy endowment — “rich in coal, poor in oil, and short on gas” — is both an objective reality and a constraint it must face. As a country where oil dependence on imports has long exceeded 70 percent, China’s sensitivity to energy security is self-evident. However, instead of pinning its hopes on geopolitical gambles, China has pursued its own path of green transformation with unwavering strategic resolve. As a result, China’s energy mix can now be updated to “rich in coal, poor in oil, short on gas, but abundant in green power”.

China has become a leading force in the global energy transition, boasting comprehensive advantages in installed capacity, technological sophistication, industry chain control and market application. Led by wind and solar photovoltaic, China’s new energy installed capacity and power generation rank first in the world, placing it in an absolute top tier all by itself. Since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, China has built the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system. By the end of 2025, China’s total installed capacity of wind and solar power reached 1.84 billion kilowatts, 3.4 times that of 2020, surpassing thermal power for the first time in history. The share of wind and solar power in total electricity consumption reached 22.2 percent, providing strong support for the green and low-carbon transition of China’s energy structure.

What is even more commendable is that China is not only expanding its volume but also strengthening its quality. China’s new energy industry has achieved a historic leap from running alongside global leaders to taking the lead, building the world’s largest and most complete new energy industry chain. Offshore wind turbines and blade lengths are the largest in the world, and photovoltaic conversion efficiency has repeatedly broken world records. Over the past decade, the global average cost per kilowatt-hour for wind and solar PV projects has fallen by over 60 percent and 80 percent, respectively — a feat made possible in no small part by China’s new energy industry. From PV modules to electric vehicles, China’s products have been exported to more than 200 countries and regions, offering affordable solutions for the world’s energy transition.

Looking ahead, China will continue advancing along the path of its green transformation drive. The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) states that during this period, China will continue to increase the share of its new energy supply, promote a safe, reliable and orderly substitution of fossil fuels, focus on building a new-type power system and develop a strong energy nation. It aims to establish green and low-carbon production and lifestyles, achieve its carbon peak goal on schedule, and build a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient new energy system.

Energy security is a vital component of national security. The strategic thinking underpinning China’s energy strategy is to hold the “rice bowl” of energy firmly in its own hands. On this basis, China has actively advanced its green transition and achieved remarkable accomplishments, reflecting a profound strategic philosophy with Chinese characteristics.

First, leveraging its socialist market economy, mega-scale market, complete industrial system and its ability to “pool resources to accomplish major tasks”, China has achieved coordinated green transitions across energy, industry, transportation, urban and rural areas.

Second, by focusing on breakthroughs in key technologies such as new energy development, energy storage and carbon capture, utilization and storage, China is fostering a green and low-carbon industry as a new engine of economic growth. This has nurtured the “new trio” of exports — new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products — as new growth poles.

Third, China emphasizes that the green transition must simultaneously advance carbon reduction, pollution control, green expansion, and economic growth, while coordinating ecological protection, livelihood improvement, job creation and common prosperity. It avoids a one-size-fits-all approach or sacrificing development.

Fourth, as the world’s largest developing country, China has built the world’s largest and most complete new energy industry chain. It supplies 80 percent of the world’s PV modules and 70 percent of its wind power equipment, and through South-South cooperation, it supports other developing countries in enhancing their climate resilience.

The green transition is not a zero-sum game but a new opportunity for global cooperation. Through platforms such as the Belt and Road Energy Ministerial Conference and the International Forum on Energy Transition, China has released initiatives such as the Suzhou Vision 2030 for Global Energy Low-Carbon Transition and Development, promoting an open and inclusive international energy market order.

The author is an assistant researcher at the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.