Going green without China? : the EU's clean tech tighrope

The EU has ambitious goals for accelerating the energy transition through locally manufactured technologies. However, Beijing's grip on the clean tech industry makes it difficult for the EU to go green without Chinese equipment or its extensive supply chains. China's advantage lies in government incentives, access to critical materials, highly efficient manufacturing ecosystems, lower labour costs and less stringent environmental regulations. To advance its energy goals, the EU should pursue a multipronged strategy. It needs to ensure a level playing field for its clean tech companies and prioritise innovative technologies that rely less on imported materials and Chinese supply chains. It also has to secure access to critical materials through trade deals and consider establishing stockpiles of these.