Chinese power firms urged to develop renewable energy

It’s a step to improving China’s abysmal air quality.

Zhang Guobao, former vice chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission and former head of the National Energy Bureau, noted that several factors have contributed to Beijing’s persistent air pollution.

“The primary factor is the exhaust emission across the city; the other one is the burning of coal, most of which stems from coal-fired power plants,” he said.

He said it is unbelievable there are four thermal power plants within Beijing’s urban areas. He explained that these plants would still cause pollution problems despite possessing advanced technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emission and being equipped with desulfurization facilities.

He said the environment and energy efficiency would be greatly improved if power firms used combined heat and power or cogeneration plants that simultaneously produce electricity and heat from a single fuel source such as natural gas, biomass, biogas, coal, waste heat or oil.

Zhang noted that China has recently experienced a rapid growth in the field of clean energy generation: a total of 6.0662 trillion kWh power generated by clean energy was consumed in China in 2012, accounting for 21% of the total power integrated into the power grid. This total is 3.9% higher compared to the same period in 2011.