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China Unveils Plan to Revamp Electricity System for Sustainable Growth and Energy Security
China introduces action plan for a new electricity system to drive low-carbon development and ensure energy security. Ambitious targets set to increase wind and solar power capacity in deserts and desertified areas. Plans to upgrade coal-fired power plants for substantial carbon emissions reduction.
The initiative, jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration (NEA), and the National Data Administration, delineates a roadmap for actions to be implemented between 2024 and 2027.
The plan focuses on enhancing the transmission of clean electricity across the grid by leveraging cutting-edge power generation, regulation, and control technologies. With the escalating generation of wind and solar power in China's deserts and desertified regions, there is a pressing need to efficiently transport this clean energy to areas with high electricity consumption, as highlighted in a press release by the NEA.
China has set ambitious targets to increase the total installed capacity of wind and solar power facilities in deserts and desertified zones to 455 million kilowatts by 2030. Presently, the existing cross-regional transmission lines predominantly cater to coal and hydro power. Additionally, the country plans to modernise its coal-fired power plants to significantly reduce carbon emissions, acknowledging the sector's importance in ensuring a stable electricity supply.
The burgeoning market for new-energy vehicles in China, evidenced by a 32% surge in sales in the first half of 2024, has spurred a surge in demand for charging infrastructure nationwide. The action plan outlines commitments to expand EV charging facilities, enhance integration with the power grid, and establish standardised charging infrastructure to support the growing EV market.
As of June, China had a total of 10.24 million charging piles, marking a 54% increase from the previous year. The NEA has been actively promoting the installation of charging stations in rural areas to capitalise on the potential for EV sales, with approximately one-third of provincial-level regions having already deployed charging infrastructure in towns and villages.
The document also includes provisions to ensure the stable operation of China's electricity system and bolster the development of the power distribution network. Against the backdrop of a robust 8.1% increase in electricity consumption in the first half of the year, reaching nearly 4.66 trillion kilowatt-hours, China underscores the critical role of a reliable electricity supply in supporting its economic activities.
Committed to green development, China has pledged to achieve the dual carbon objectives of peaking emissions by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2060, setting ambitious targets that surpass those of many developed nations.
China introduces action plan for a new electricity system to drive low-carbon development and ensure energy security
Ambitious targets set to increase wind and solar power capacity in deserts and desertified areas
Plans to upgrade coal-fired power plants for substantial carbon emissions reduction
Source: CGTN