Tech

China’s solar power has reached price parity with coal

Enlarge / All that’s missing are some batteries. (credit: Jia Yu / Getty Images) The incredible plunge in the price of photovoltaic systems has made solar power an affordable option for much of the world. And, as long as solar is providing a small fraction of the power on a given grid, there’s little holding […]

Tech

Bitcoin outlawed in China as country bans all cryptocurrency transactions

Enlarge / China has cracked down on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in a bid to limit capital outflows. (credit: Nuthawut Somsuk/iStock Editorial ) China’s crackdown on cryptocurrencies intensified today, with the country’s central bank announcing that all crypto-related transactions are illegal. “There are usually legal risks for individuals and organizations participating in virtual currency and […]

Tech

China to stop building coal plants in developing nations

Enlarge / Coal plants at the end of the line? (credit: Ryan Pyle / Getty Images) Chinese President Xi Jinping used his speech to the United Nations General Assembly to announce a major new step towards controlling global emissions. After reiterating his own country’s climate pledges, Xi said that China would start making it easier […]