An aerial view photographed on April 16 of the Delingha solar thermal power project under construction in Qinghai Province. It will be China’s largest solar facility of its kind. The project can provide 1.8 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually upon completion. China now leads the world in clean energy deployment.

As someone born and raised in Oakland, I’m proud of the Bay Area’s reputation as a hub for innovation. From the solar rooftops of Berkeley to the battery breakthroughs of Silicon Valley, this region has shaped the global clean energy conversation. But as I prepare to attend San Francisco Climate Week, I’m struck by how narrow that conversation still feels.

We’re at risk of being trapped in a bubble.

Recent federal rollbacks on climate and clean energy policy have made looking abroad for signs of progress even more urgent. Because here’s the truth: Some of the most exciting and impactful climate tech revolutions today are happening beyond the U.S. — they’re unfolding in China and emerging markets like Vietnam and Pakistan. These countries aren’t just catching up. In some ways, they’re pulling ahead.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Take China. Long derided for its coal dependence, it now leads the world in clean energy deployment. In 2024 alone, China added 277 gigawatts of new solar capacity — a 45% jump from the year before. That’s more than the entire installed solar capacity of the United........

© San Francisco Chronicle