Clean-Tech Exports Set to Avoid Billions of Tonnes of CO₂

China’s clean-energy technology exports in 2026 are on track to prevent around 450 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually worldwide, equivalent to nearly 2% of emissions outside China.

“China’s clean-tech exports have become a key enabler of the global clean-energy transition, driving down the cost, opening up new markets and responding to the rapid increase in demand,” explains Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

The projected lifetime emissions savings from solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles and batteries exported in 2026 amount to 8.4 billion tonnes of CO₂, equivalent to the combined annual emissions of the United States and India. This represents a 25% increase from 2025 and around 68% from 2024. In the first nine months of 2026, exports of electric cars and heavy vehicles rose by 61%, wind turbines by 45%, batteries by 39% and solar equipment by 22%. Solar and wind equipment exported during the year is expected to generate around 800 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, comparable to the output of approximately 100 coal-fired power plants. Developing countries account for 76% of the projected lifetime emissions savings, with South and Southeast Asia alone contributing 52%, highlighting the growing global reach of affordable clean-energy technologies.