From collapsed coal mines to floating solar farms, why China's new power stations matter

Inauguration of the world's largest floating solar power plant on a collapsed coal mine exemplifies China's commitment to transition to a low carbon economy. This 70 MW project covers more than 63 ha of the flooded area and can provide electricity for 21,000 homes. It also demonstrates China's ambition to amend its fragile environmental status namely air pollution, which claims 1.6 million lives every year. Soon after the completion, many countries expressed interest in building similar power stations, and within few months some companies released innovative products tailored specifically for improving the efficiency of floating solar power plants. China has a unique capacity to implement new ideas, scale them up and commercialise efficiently and now its self-declared war on pollution in 2014 seems to be reshaping the world energy landscape. China's plan to build 1 GW floating solar farms on abandoned coal mines present a stark contrast to the current environmental policies of the government of the United States. The innovative thinking behind these projects suggests that not only this country is taking the lead in renewable energies, but it is moving beyond speed, efficiency and mass production, and becoming a hub for innovation in green energy technologies.