Overview
This country is the focus of our presentation on electricity demand and emissions.
China
Short‑term visible air problem caused by coal combustion in cities.
Smog
Burning coal releases CO₂ and this gas that contributes to acid rain.
SO₂ (sulfur dioxide)
The new national measure described that guides China’s energy management.
Energy law (or new energy law)
Technology that moves large amounts of power long distances with low losses.
Ultra‑high‑voltage transmission (UHV)
The fuel that still supplies large shares of China’s electricity and raises CO₂ emissions.
Coal
Name one health risk linked to long‑term exposure to air pollution from coal.
Asthma, Heart Disease, Stroke, Lung Cancer
Term for heated water discharged from power plants that raises river temperatures
Thermal pollution
One main goal of the law: expand this type of energy to cut pollution.
Renewable energy
Storage technology used to shift midday solar to evening demand.
Batteries (battery storage)
Two renewable sources China is rapidly expanding
Solar and wind
Two social effects of large electricity systems (one positive, one negative).
Job creation; job loss in coal communities
Two ecosystem impacts of coal mining
Habitat destruction, water contamination
Two economic benefits of scaling clean energy manufacturing
Jobs, exports
One clear pro of long‑distance transmission for desert solar farms.
Delivers distant renewable energy to cities (reduces waste)
A reason electricity demand is rising: more of these vehicles are being adopted.
Electric cars
Why do power grids need many people and maintenance in big cities?
To prevent outages and keep the grid stable
Name one way coal plant waste harms water supplies.
Contaminates nearby water with mine runoff or plant waste
One short‑term risk if global demand for clean energy products slows.
Idle factories (or job losses)
Two cons of large transmission projects
High upfront cost, long construction timelines
Approximate annual CO₂ emissions mentioned in the script (in billion metric tons).
11.9 billion metric tons
Give one example of how coal‑related pollution can affect daily life in megacities.
Reduced visibility and breathing problems
List three habitat types commonly destroyed by coal mining
Forests, grasslands, rivers/streams
Name two system challenges caused by a fast shift to renewables
Grid upgrade costs, coal‑dependent job losses
Describe in one short sentence how storage + transmission + renewables work together.
They inecrease supply, move it where needed, and smooth variability to reduce coal us