BEIJING, China: China's coal power expansion surged in 2024, with nearly 100 gigawatts of new coal plant capacity breaking ground—the highest level in almost a decade, according to a report released this week by two clean-energy research groups.

The report, compiled by the Europe-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and the U.S.-based Global Energy Monitor, warns that China's reliance on coal threatens to undermine its aggressive push into renewable energy.

"Instead of replacing coal, clean energy is being layered on top of an entrenched reliance on fossil fuels," the report stated.

China began construction on 94.5 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity last year, the most since 2015, according to the Global Energy Monitor's worldwide coal plant database. Work also resumed on 3.3 gigawatts of previously stalled projects.

"A substantial number of new plants will come online in the next 2-3 years, further solidifying coal's role in the power system," the report said.

The concern is that these plants could limit the expansion of solar and wind power. The report noted that fossil fuel generation remained high in late 2024, while renewable energy utilization declined sharply.

The construction boom follows a wave of government approvals for coal-fired plants in 2022 and 2023, said Qi Qin, a China analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

"We urge China to refrain from starting construction on already-approved coal power plants to prevent further overcapacity, reduce emissions, and align with its climate commitments," Qin said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. Some analysts believe China's emissions may have already peaked, but the challenge now is to reduce them.

China was among several nations that missed a U.N. deadline this week to submit an updated emissions reduction plan for 2035.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China is working on its submission and will release it "in due course this year."

The report found that China accounted for 93 percent of all new global coal plant construction last year. However, proposals for new or revived coal projects fell to 68.9 gigawatts, down from over 100 gigawatts in each of the previous two years, suggesting that construction may slow in the future.