In the past eight months, China has shut down 253 small
coal-fired generating units that were heavy energy consumers and
emitters, and replaced them with high-efficiency generators that
cut yearly coal consumption by 13.5 million tons and CO2 emissions
by 27 million tons.
Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said this while inaugurating the
second forum on China-Japan Energy Saving and Environmental
Protection yesterday.
To meet the goal of lowering energy consumption per unit of GDP
by 20 percent and reducing the output of sulfur dioxide and
chemical oxygen demand by 10 percent by the end of 2010 compared
with 2005, thermal generators with a capacity of 355 million kW
will be fitted with desulfurization devices by 2010, he added.
Zeng also said China will adopt measures to guide and encourage the
development of renewable energy with taxation and fiscal
incentives.
The cooperation between China and Japan on energy efficiency and
environment protection has made marked progress since the first
forum held last year, and has a promising future, he said.
Vice-Minister of Commerce Wei Jianguo said: "China has a very
promising market in energy saving and emission reduction. Overall,
around $300 billion of investment will be needed to meet the
energy-saving and emission-reduction target in the next five
years." If Japanese companies can take 20 percent of the market,
they can earn revenue of US$60 billion, he added.
The government plans to raise the ratio of renewable energy in
total energy consumption to 15 percent by 2020, compared with 8
percent now. Wei said these numbers not only show the government's
resolve to save energy and reduce emissions but also carry enormous
business opportunities.
Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari said
Japan survived two energy crises in the last 30 years and has
developed energy-saving as a national strategy with a 37 percent
increase in energy efficiency.
Amari said he hoped to share Japan's experience with China in
lifting energy efficiency through law, taxation, education and
pricing system.
The two countries signed 10 cooperation projects on energy
saving at the forum.
All About
Environmental protection in China,
Polluters blacklisted,
Energy saving
(
China Daily September 28, 2007)
