Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (on the right) and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping (left) prepare to leave after the closing session of the National People Congress in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (Photo: dpa).
Renewable energy will keep getting the boost from China in 2014. Last week, at its annual session in Beijing, the National People Congress, the national legislator gathering almost 3,000 delegates from all Chinese provinces, approved the work programme of the government presented by Premier Li Keqiang. Among its major tasks for 2014, China aims to increase the proportion of electricity generated by non-fossil fuel, encourage the development of wind and solar power, continue the development of smart grids and start the construction of new hydro power projects.
The push on renewable energy will contribute to satisfy the energy demand linked to a planned GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth of 7.5 %, while also meeting environmental and climate change objectives. Concerned with increasing air pollution, China wants to impose a ceiling on total energy consumption, improve the energy mix (still largely dependent on coal) and encourage the development of cleaner energy sources.
The annual report presented to the National People Congress by the National Development and Reform Commission, the governmental body responsible for economic planning, says that in 2013 energy generated from non-fossil fuels accounted for 9.8 % of primary energy consumption, an increase of 0.4 % over the previous year. China's total electricity consumption increased by 7.5 % in 2013 and electricity generated from non-fossil fuels amounted to 22.3 % of the total electricity output.
Efficiency is another keyword for 2014. The goal for 2014 is to cut energy consumption per GDP unit by more than 3.9 %. In 2013, energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP dropped by 3.7 % and 4.36 % respectively.
According to the Five-Year Plan adopted in 2011, China plans to reduce carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 17 % by 2015 and have by the same deadline 11.4 % primary energy consumption from non-fossil fuels.
Claudia Delpero
Gundlach Gruppe Copyright © 2013 BVA Media Group
http://www.sunwindenergy.com/review/chinese-government-will-press-ahead-renewable-energy-2014