China’s clean tech exports to cut global emissions by Brazil-sized amount in 2026

China's clean technology exports are projected to cut global carbon emissions by an amount equivalent to Brazil's annual emissions from fossil fuel consumption by 2026, according to a new analysis. The avoided emissions, equivalent to 450 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, will be due largely to China's exports of solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and batteries.

The analysis, conducted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air in Finland, highlights the significant impact of China's clean technology exports on decarbonizing power grids in countries within the Global South, especially those with sunny regions and abundant solar potential. The impact of these exports is growing, with avoided emissions rising from 370 million tonnes of CO2 last year to 450 million tonnes in 2026.

The majority of these avoided emissions are expected to come from countries in the Global South, as they import more Chinese clean technology and upgrade their power grids.