In the shadow of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, EU countries are trying to end their dependence on Russian fossil fuels for good and accelerate their transition to a decarbonised energy sector. At the same time, they are finding that they are dependent on another power for the supply of the technologies needed for the energy transition. China has successfully taken the lead in the entire renewable energy production cycle. From the extraction of critical raw materials, to their processing, to the final production of individual devices, China plays the world’s most important role.

The European Union seeks to avoid the risks associated with high dependence on Chinese technologies and to increase its independence from imports of raw materials and technologies. In order to do this, it needs the active cooperation of individual Member States, including the Czech Republic.

How has China achieved its dominance in the field of renewable energy technologies? How important is its position? What threats arise from our dependence on China and how real are they? What is the EU doing to improve the situation and how is the Czech Republic doing?

The answers are provided by a factsheet produced in collaboration between Klimatým and the AMO China Projects team.