BEIJING – China on Monday outlined plans to strengthen energy security through increased use of renewable sources to catch up with major fossil fuel exports such as the U.S. and Australia.
“We are aiming for diversified and secure energy resources to maintain our balance of supply-demand,” Zhang Jianhua, director of China’s National Energy Administration, told reporters that day.
While China produces a lot of cooking coal, it imports high-quality Australian coal and leach natural gas from the growing diplomatic controversies in Beijing with Canberra and Washington. disrupting the flow of these fuels, undermining President Xi Jinping ‘s efforts to create an independent supply. chains at home.
Wind, supplies and other renewable sources are at the heart of Beijing’s plan for energy security and self-sufficiency. China’s energy white paper published Monday promises to create national trade equipment for carbon emissions, and will encourage other facilities and businesses to sign up.
Zhang has identified stronger energy security as a priority under China’s new five-year economic plan, which begins in 2021. The government plans to incorporate this goal into its new basic energy law.
Non-fossil fuels are expected to account for 15.8% of China’s primary energy this year, Zhang said. That figure has risen about 6 percentage points since 2012, with further increases expected as Xi aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2060.
Zhang also raised other policy priorities, including supplying electricity to Chinese cities and towns and promoting the use of data in power circulation.