US climate tech can’t thrive without confronting China

A giant wind farm set to be built in Egypt is showcasing how the future of climate tech is increasingly controlled by China.

Infinity Power — by some definitions Africa’s biggest renewables company — has an ambitious target of growing its clean-power portfolio nearly tenfold to 10 gigawatts by 2030. Key to its plan will be the country supplying the turbines to generate that electricity: China.

“For our 2030 goal, basically, we will, to be honest with you, rely on Chinese products,” Mohamed Mansour, Infinity’s chair said in an interview. “What happened in the solar industry — China versus the West — is happening today in a big way in the wind industry. In a big way.”