China’s Global Power Database Methodology Note, 2020

The China’s Global Power (CGP) Database records all power projects around the world involving Chinese capital, including foreign direct investment (FDI) and public finance through Chinese national development bank and export-import credit agency. All project attributes are categorized into three sections in the CGP Database methodology note. The first section includes the fundamental information about the status of the power plant, such as its name, location, capacity, technology type, the year of commission, and estimated carbon dioxide emissions for fossil plants. The second section includes information on involvement of Chinese foreign direct investment, such as the name of Chinese investor, if the project is ‘greenfield’ development or the result of merger and acquisition (M&A), and the share of Chinese investment in the project. The third section includes information on involvement of Chinese public finance, such as the loan provider and recipient. A detailed list of the project attributes can be found in the Appendix. The data collection processes for projects involving FDI differs from the projects involving Chinese policy finance. Their methodologies are described separately in the second section.

For information on data methodology for the 2025 CGP Database update, please refer to the GDP Center Database Methodology Guidebook and the appendix of the 2025 Policy Brief. For information on data and methodology for the first iteration of the CGP Database (2020), please refer to the 2020 Methodology Note.