WHAT’S NEXT

058 green biz

EDITED BY NEIL GROSS

Noxious smog and waste-tainted waters threaten to spoil China’s com-

alternatives
ing-out party at the Beijing Olympics. Yet for all its eco-woes, the nation
is quickly becoming a world leader in solar cells, wind turbines, and China’s Power Play
other clean technology. Here are some recent developments.
The country is becoming an
traffic alternative energy showcase

Floating cars that Spending

Top renewable energy
fight Beijing gridlock investment markets, 2007

Beijing is hoping a swarm of taxis outfitted

Germany
$14 billion
with GPS location sensors will help untangle
A data-
collecting
its snarled traffic in time for the Olympic
Games. The fudong che or “floating car”
program sucks up data streamed from nearly
China  $12 billion
 $10 billion
system may
slash Beijing’s every one of the capital’s 66,000 taxis,
auto emissions U.S.
recording their location and speed. A com-
puter crunches this data to build a real-time view of traffic flows. When the driver
punches in his next destination, fudong che sends back directions for the fastest,
Renewables
least congested route. Simulations of the system showed that if just 30% of Beijing’s
cars took part, commuting times would fall by 16% while and carbon dioxide emis- Share of energy from renewable
sources, including hydropower
sions would be reduced by 27%. –Chi-Chu Tschang
2006 Goal

China 8.0% 15% by 2020

EU 6.5% 20% by 2020
U.S. 4.8% No national goal

Solar
Production of solar cells,
megawatts, 2007

A project calling
itself China’s
China*  1,188
first carbon-
neutral city sits
on the Yangtze
EU  1,063
URBAN PLANNING Japan  920
Near Shanghai, a Green Haven Rises U.S.  266
Even as smog envelops the capital, Chi- dictates that no dwelling be more than * Including Taiwan

na’s first eco-city is rising near Shanghai.
About the size of Manhattan, Dongtan
aims to be energy self-sufficient using a
combination of wind, solar power, and
biofuels. The brainchild of Arup Group,
a London-based design and engineer-
ing firm, the multi-billion dollar project
a seven-minute walk from fuel-cell-
powered public transport. Organic farms
surrounding the development will supply
residents with fresh produce and buffer
and protect the island’s delicate wetland
ecosystem. In 2010, apartments will be-
come available to about 5,000 residents.
Wind
China’s share of global wind
generating capacity
2005: 2.1%
2006: 3.5%
2007: 6.4%
CREDIT HERE

consists of three “villages” juxtaposed By 2050, the planners predict, the head-
Domestic growth in 2007: 137.0%
to create a central civic area. The plan count will hit 500,000. –Matt Vella
DATA: Climate Group, BusinessWeek

BUSINESSWEEK I AUG UST 11, 2008