全部 标题 作者
关键词 摘要

OALib Journal期刊
ISSN: 2333-9721
费用:99美元

查看量下载量

The Search for Future US-China Energy Cooperation: The Case of Apple-Sun Power Joint Solar Projects

DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1104286, PP. 1-4

Subject Areas: International Relations

Keywords: Solar Energy, Solar Photovoltaic Technology (Solar PV Technology), US-China Relations, Apple-Sun Power Solar Projects, Environmental Preservation, International Cooperation, Sustainable Development

Full-Text   Cite this paper   Add to My Lib

Abstract

The current work is a case study of three solar energy projects built with the joint efforts of Apple and Sun Power. Because of their positive results and unique characteristics, I take these projects as an example of a successful collaboration in the solar energy sector between an American and a Chinese-operating company. In the midst of complicated trade frictions between China and the US in the solar energy sector, these projects stand out in a unique way: they bring benefits to all participants, do not exacerbate the trade disputes, they are environmentally-friendly and promote peace in the Sino-American relations. The Apple-Sun Power projects also show a new approach to the overseas business model. They represent a more conscientious way of conducting business abroad since the company which is outsourcing its manufacturing (in this case Apple) uses clean energy to power its operations. Therefore, there is no exploitation of local resources, no damage to the local environment and the local people’s health. On the contrary: there is an inflow of investments in the Chinese solar industry, cheap electricity for Apple and no harmful effects on the local environment. Based on the case study I make the argument that the solar energy sector is a solid ground for creating cooperation not only between companies but also between countries. Indeed, as we see in the example of Apple and Sun Power, their joint projects bring a long list of benefits without creating frictions between any parties. Viewed from a more global perspective, these projects promote the relations between China and the US and can be used as a model for promoting cooperation between other countries and consolidate peace on the global arena. In short, solar energy proves to be a good ground for developing peaceful collaboration between countries. One of the reasons is that it creates a complex interconnection between the participants and brings them to work closely together. More importantly, the result of the collaboration not only brings benefits to the participants themselves but also helps preserve the environment and tackle climate change—issues which all nations are concerned about. This is a key feature of the collaboration in the solar energy sector—it unites actors on the international arena under ideals which all human beings share: clean environment, sustainable economy and a better future for those who will come after us.

Cite this paper

Paskaleva, A. (2018). The Search for Future US-China Energy Cooperation: The Case of Apple-Sun Power Joint Solar Projects. Open Access Library Journal, 5, e4286. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1104286.

References

[1]  (2017) America’s Pledge, Press Release.
https://www.americaspledgeonclimate.com/
[2]  Abraham, J. (2017) Despite Trump, American Companies Are Still Investing in Renewable Energy. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-
consensus-97-per-cent/2017/oct/11/despite-trump-american-
companies-are-still-investing-in-renewable-energy
[3]  Zhou, C.H. (2015) Economic Analysis of the Trade Frictions between China and the US in the Area of New Energy Industry. Renmin University of China, Beijing.
http://www.ckni.net
[4]  Trabish, H.K. (2013) How to Settle the US-China Solar War. Greentech Media.
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/
how-to-get-the-u-s-china-solar-war-settled#gs.x3Zizu8
[5]  Steeves, B.B. and Ouriques, H.R. (2016) Energy Security: China and the United States and the Divergence in Renewable Energy. Contexto Internacional, 38, 5-7.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-8529.2016380200006
[6]  Steeves, B.B. and Ouriques, H.R. Energy Security: China and the United States and the Divergence in Renewable Energy. 8.
[7]  Steeves, B.B. and Ouriques, H.R. (2016) Energy Security: China and the United States and the Divergence in Renewable Energy. 38, 10-11.
[8]  Global Distribution of Energy Resources.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/z3pppv4/revision
[9]  Steeves, B.B. and Ouriques, H.R. Energy Security: China and the United States and the Divergence in Renewable Energy. 7.
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/cint/v38n2/0102
-8529-cint-38-02-00643.pdf
[10]  Kassiola, J.J. (2010) China’s Environmental Crisis: Domestic and Global Political Impacts and Responses.
https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=caDGAAAAQBA
J&redir_esc=y
[11]  Introductory Course in Renewable Energy.
www.solarenergyinternational.com
[12]  Before the Flood, National Geographic Channel, 2016.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/before-the-flood/
[13]  Sachs, J.D. (2015) The Age of Sustainable Develop-ment. Columbia University Press.
https://doi.org/10.7312/sach17314
[14]  Steeves, B.B. and Ouriques, H.R. (2016) Energy Security: China and the United States and the Divergence in Renewable Energy. 38, 6.
[15]  Group of Authors (2013) China’s Coal Reserves Might Only Last for 33 More Years. China Electricity News Network.
http://www.fdi.gov.cn/1800000121_21_53311_0_7.html
[16]  Steeves, B.B. and Ouriques, H.R. Energy Security: China and the United States and the Divergence in Renewable Energy. 8.
[17]  Group of Authors (2017) Introduction to Renewable Energy. Online Course at Solar Energy International.
www.solarenergyinternational.com
[18]  He, F. (2016) China 2016, in Pursue of New Driving Force. Chinese Literature and History Press.
[19]  Allen, D. (2016) China’s Solar Surge Presents Future Opportunity. East West Bank.
https://www.eastwestbank.com/ReachFurther/
News/Article/China-Solar-Surge-Presents-Future-Opportunity
[20]  The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, US-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change, Point 5, Beijing, China, 12 November 2014, Points 1, 2 and 8.
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-
office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-change
[21]  The US-China Renewable Energy Partnership (USCREP).
http://www.us-china-cerc.org/about.html
[22]  McDonnell, T. and West, J. (2014) The US and China Just Announced a Huge Deal on Climate—And It’s a Game Changer.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/
11/obama-just-announced-historic-climate-deal-china
[23]  Snieckus. D. (2016) US and Chinese Researchers Boost Perovskite Solar Cell Performance. Recharge News.
http://www.rechargenews.com/solar/1183068/us-and-
chinese-researchers-boost-perovskite-solar-cell-performance
[24]  Ma, J. (2015) Research on the Fiscal and Taxation Policies for Financing and Expanding China’s Clean Energy Resources.
http://image.cnki.net/detail/1015518061.nh0005.html
[25]  Mason, J. (2017) China to Plow $361 Billion into Renewable Fuel by 2020. Global Energy News.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-energy-renew
ables-idUSKBN14P06P
[26]  Kaartemo, V. (2017) Creation and Shaping of the Global Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Market. Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Fin-land.
[27]  Vans, A. (2015) Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future. Ecco Publishing Press.
[28]  Green, M.A. (2016) Revisiting the History Books. PV Magazine, Point 1 and 2.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/magazine-archive/revisiting-
the-history-books_100024938/#axzz4HkmP7QH3
[29]  (2016) Figure 2, Based on John A. Mathews Manufacturing of Solar PV Panels, by Country, 1995-2015 “China’s Continuing Renewable Energy Revolution—Latest Trends in Electric Power Generation. The Asia-Pacific Journal.
http://apjjf.org/2016/17/Mathews.html
[30]  Figure 3.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:China_Photovoltaics_
Installed_Capacity.svg
[31]  (2014) The WTO Helps the US Impose Anti-Dumping and Anti-Subsidy Duties for Solar PV Imports. Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI).
http://www.semi.org.cn/pv/news_show.aspx?ID=14684&classid=12
[32]  Stein, J. (2017) The Case for US Solar Manufacturing. PV Magazine.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2017/08/31/the-case-for-u-s-
solar-manufacturing/
[33]  The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, US-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change, Point 5, Beijing, China, 12 November 2014, Point 5.
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/
2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-change
[34]  Al Gore, Interview, “Paris Agreement Is a Strong Signal That “We Will Solve Climate crisis”, Al Gore Says Leading Environmental activist Says Cheaper Renewable Energy Provides an Opportunity to Create a Sustainable World Economy—But We Must Do More.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/30/paris-
agreement-is-a-strong-signal-that-we-will-solve-climate-
crisis-al-gore-says
[35]  http://newsroom.sunpower.com/press-releases?item=122885
[36]  Cardwell, D. (2016) Apple Becomes a Green Energy Supplier, With Itself as Customer. The New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/business/energy
-environment/as-energy-use-rises-corporations-turn-to-
their-own-green-utility-sources.html
[37]  Martin, R. (2016) Foxconn Wants to Become a Global Force in Clean Energy. MIT Technology Review.
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601208/foxconn
-wants-to-become-a-global-force-in-clean-energy/
[38]  Zhou, Y.M. (2017) When Some US Firms Move Production Overseas, They Also Offshore Their Pollution. The Conversation.
http://theconversation.com/when-some-us-firms-move
-production-overseas-they-also-offshore-their-pollution-75371
[39]  Dent, M. (2015) 5 American Companies Going Strong in China. The Fiscal Times.
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2015/11/06/5-American
-Companies-Going-Strong-China
[40]  Costello, S. (2017) Where Is the iPhone Made? Life Wire, The iPhone’s Assemblers.
https://www.lifewire.com/where-is-the-iphone-made-1999503
[41]  Pressman, A. (2016) Solar Power From Apple Could Light Up Your Home. Fortune.
http://fortune.com/2016/08/04/apple-approval-solar-electricity/
[42]  Wang, U. (2015) Apple Goes to China to Build Solar Projects WithSunPower. Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2015/04/16/
apple-goes-to-china-to-build-solar-projects-with-sunpower/
[43]  Montejo, E. (2015) Apple’s China Operations Now Running on 100% Green Power. Techlicious.
https://www.techlicious.com/blog/apples-china-
operations-now-running-on-100-percent-green-power/
[44]  Apple Newsroom (2016).
http://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/08/apple-
announces-environmental-progress-in-china.html
[45]  Sun Power Press Release, Sun Power Newsroom (2015).
http://newsroom.sunpower.com/2015-04-16-SunPowers-
China-Joint-Venture-Partners-with-Apple-to-Provide-Solar-
Power-to-the-Environmentally-Preserved-ABA-Region
[46]  “Computerworld; Apple Unveils 18-Megawatt Solar Farm to Power Cloud Data Center”, Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (2012).
http://www.diversifynevada.com/news/apple-data-center-
boosts-nevadas-it-profile-nationally/computerworld-apple
-unveils-18-megawatt-solar-farm-to-power-cloud-data-cent
[47]  Mearian, L. (2016) Apple Commits to Run off 100% Renewable Energy. Many of Apple’s Chinese Parts Suppliers Have Also Committed to Use 100% Renewable Energy in the Production of Apple Products. Computerworld.
http://www.computerworld.com/article/3122461/
sustainable-it/apple-commits-to-run-off-100-renewable-energy.html
[48]  (2015) China 2050 High Renewable Energy Penetration Scenario and Roadmap Study.
http://www.efchina.org/Attachments/Report/report-
20150420/China-2050-High-Renewable-Energy-Penetration-
Scenario-and-Roadmap-Study-Executive-Summary.pdf
[49]  Fehrenbacher, K. (2016) How Apple’s Solar Strategy Evolved.
http://fortune.com/2016/03/23/apple-clean-energy-evolution/
[50]  Apple, Environmental Responsibility Report 2017, 11.
https://images.apple.com/au/environment/pdf/Apple_
Environmental_Responsibility_Report_2017.pdf
[51]  Apple, Environmental Responsibility Report 2017, Figure 4.
https://images.apple.com/au/environment/pdf/Apple_
Environmental_Responsibility_Report_2017.pdf
[52]  Elmer-DeWitt, P. (2015) How Big Is Apple’s Green Initiative in China? Fortune.
http://fortune.com/2015/10/22/apple-china-solar/
[53]  The Power of Renewables: Opportunities and Challenges for China and the United States (2010) Chapter: 7 US-Chinese Cooperation, Overview of US-Chinese Cooperation, 176.
https://www.nap.edu/read/12987/chapter/9#176
[54]  Shaw, V. (2015) Apple, SunPower Join Forces to Invest in 170 MW of Solar in Inner Mongolia. PV Magazine.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2015/11/24/apple-sunpo
wer-join-forces-to-invest-in-170-mw-of-solar-in-inner-
mongolia_100022121/
[55]  Mearian, L. (2015) Apple’s $850M Solar Plant Rockets It to First Place among US Corporations. Computer World.
https://www.computerworld.com/article/2882762/
apples-850m-solar-plant-rockets-it-to-first-place-among
-us-corporations.html
[56]  Consultation with Risen Energy Co., Ltd. Project Development Representa-tive.
[57]  International Center for Trade and Sustainable Development.
http://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/bridges/news/
china-launches-solar-case-against-eu-at-wto
[58]  (2015) US-China Joint Presidential Statement on Climate Change, The White House Press Release.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/25/
us-china-joint-presidential-statement-climate-change
[59]  Tverberg, G. (2012) Is Constant Economic Growth Possible? Oilprice.
http://oilprice.com/Finance/the-Economy/Is-Constant-
Economic-Growth-Possible.html
[60]  Eisenstein, C. (2012) Sacred Economics. Money, Gift & Society in the Age of Transition. Evolver Editions.
[61]  2014 Progress Report. Apple (2014).
https://www.apple.com/environment/reports/docs/apple_
environmental_responsibility_report_0714.pdf
[62]  Online Solar Training and Renewable Energy Courses—Solar Energy International (SEI)—Renewable Energy Characteristics.
https://solarenergytraining.org/login/index.php#section-4
[63]  Zhang, X.L. (2016) Director of the Chinese Institute for Energy, Environment and Economy in Beijing, Professor at Qinghua University, The Breakthrough in Renewable Energy. Vpro Documentary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmyrbKBZ6SU
[64]  Apple, Environmental Responsibility Report (2017).
https://images.apple.com/lae/environment/pdf/Apple_
Environmental_Responsibility_Report_2017.pdf
[65]  Sverdlik, Y. (2013) Apple Reaches 100% Renewable Energy across All Data Centers.
http://www.datacenterdynamics.com/content-tracks/design
-build/apple-reaches-100-renewable-energy-across-all-data
-centers/74708.fullarticle
[66]  (2016) Press Release: “Apple Announces Environmental Progress in China & Applauds Supplier Commitment to Clean Energy. Apple Newsroom.
http://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/08/apple-announces
-environmental-progress-in-china.html
[67]  Costello, S. (2017) Where Is the iPhone Made? Life Wire. The iPhone’s Component Manufacturers.
https://www.lifewire.com/where-is-the-iphone-made-1999503
[68]  Online Solar Training and Renewable Energy Courses—Solar Energy International (SEI) —Solar PV Panel Production
https://solarenergytraining.org
[69]  Renewable Energy 100, Global Movement (2017).
http://there100.org/re100
[70]  Apple News Room, Press Release, 2015.
https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2015/10/22
Apple-Launches-New-Clean-Energy-Programs-in-China-To-
Promote-Low-Carbon-Manufacturing-and-Green-Growth/
[71]  Financial Times, Section “Solar Wars” (2017).
https://www.ft.com/topics/themes/Solar_Wars

Full-Text


comments powered by Disqus

Contact Us

service@oalib.com

QQ:3279437679

WhatsApp +8615387084133

WeChat 1538708413