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Paper short abstract:

This paper interrogates factors that driving or deterring bilateral cooperation in clean energy transitions between two major developing countries: China and South Africa. It shows that the Chinese wind and solar energy activities are developed in a unique manner compared to other energy projects.

Paper long abstract:

This paper interrogates factors that are driving or deterring bilateral cooperation in clean energy transitions between two major developing countries: China and South Africa. Based on intensive field research in both countries, we examine the role of Chinese state, quasi-state and non-state actors' involvement in South Africa's solar PV and wind energy sectors. We argue that although there is an increasingly stronger political rhetoric from both Chinese and South African governments to emphasis the potential benefits of bi-lateral cooperation on climate change and sustainable development, most of the China's renewable energy activities in South Africa are mainly commercially driven, particularly due to the increasingly globalised, competitive and nationally protected production chains of renewable energy technology, and the desire of key industrial wind and solar PV companies to reconfigure their production capacity around the globe. Political incentives and motivations, therefore, have played only a limited role to date in promoting the activities of Chinese companies in South Africa's wind and solar PV sectors. The rhetoric of 'green cooperation' is essentially backed by strong industrial and corporate interests, which makes its implementation pattern largely different from other highly politicalised Chinese energy projects often seen in Africa, namely in the large hydro or nuclear sectors. However, such industrial driven green cooperation would face significant challenges in the long run, because with only symbolic support from the state, there can be a significant shortage of financial resources that are needed for the clean energy transition in sub-Saharan Africa.