Why the US is falling behind on renewables as China ‘eats our lunch’: America ceding global leadership — by prioritising fossil fuels, warns lawmaker
WASHINGTON: US Rep. Dave Min (D‑California) used a House oversight hearing recently to argue that the United States should be “leading” the global renewable‑energy drive, instead of deliberately losing out to China. Then he gave a stark warning: China is “eating our lunch” by exporting out-of-the-box cheaper and cleaner energy technology and gaining influence across Asia, the Americas and Africa.…
US Rep. Dave Min, a Democrat from California, warned during a House oversight hearing that the United States is falling behind China in the global renewable energy race. China is adding over 80% of its new energy capacity as renewables, while the US is adding far less, according to Min. He argued that China is using clean energy exports to gain economic and diplomatic leverage in developing regions.
Min highlighted that replacing aging natural gas infrastructure in some US areas could be cheaper than continuing to use gas, with utilities potentially providing free electrification upgrades like electric appliances. However, Republican witnesses presented data suggesting electric heating could cost homeowners more than gas heating. Min countered that this might be the case when considering the costs of maintaining or replacing old gas distribution systems, which utilities must do regularly.
China now leads the world in installed capacity, utilization, industrial chain completeness, and cost competitiveness in renewables, according to Min. He argued that the US is ceding global influence by prioritizing fossil fuels while China dominates solar, wind and battery supply chains.
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