For China, Spending but Few Results on Green Energy

BEIJING -- Much has been written about China's huge investment in alternative energy sources. China spends twice as much as the U.S. on clean energy, and critics of U.S. energy policy have claimed that Beijing is "steaming ahead" in the field. Beneath the headline figures, however, a more complex picture emerges, in which China is struggling to translate capital investment into tangible benefits.

To begin with, it is worth noting that the reason for China's superior spending on alternative energy is that its energy needs are far more acute than those of the U.S. and other major economies. China is already facing energy shortfalls and experiencing rapid environmental degradation, with both trends set to accelerate in the coming decade. While rising oil prices and greater awareness of green issues will inevitably shift the U.S. toward cleaner energy, China needs new energy sources immediately if it is to maintain rapid economic growth. ...