The China Global Power (CGP) Database, developed by Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center, systematically tracks power plants outside of China that are financed through Chinese foreign direct investment and its two major policy banks—the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China. As of mid-2022, China-backed investments supported 648 power plants across 171.6 GW of total generation capacity worldwide. Visualized here are projected power generation capacity and associated emissions by 2033 across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
For a deeper look into how China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is shaping the global power sector—including trends, challenges, and key takeaways—read POWER‘s March 2025 story, China’s Belt and Road Initiative Is Reshaping Global Power Infrastructure.
To explore the full database or identify specific plants, visit the China Global Power Database.
Source: Boston University Global Development Policy Center. 2022. China’s Global Power Database.
—Sonal Patel is a POWER senior editor (@sonalcpatel, @POWERmagazine).
