China produces more solar energy panels than any other country and is moving to dominate the world’s electric vehicle (EV) battery market, but the Asian giant is also embarked on an intrusive expansion of oil and gas exploration and production, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy Research (IER). “China’s strategic emphasis on low-carbon energy has captured the attention of U.S. analysts, prompting some to call for a commensurate focus on the space stateside,” according to the report that was released Tuesday. “Though China indeed has invested heavily in what the International Energy Agency (IEA) calls energy transition minerals (ETMs), produces more solar panels than any other country, and is quickly scaling its battery production, China’s energy appetite is decidedly omnivorous,”the report said. “While it has ramped up on ETMs, solar panels, and batteries, China has never wavered from its quest to secure the fossil resources that …