Accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system
Zhang Jianhua, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and director of the National Energy Administration.
Energy is an important area for the construction of ecological civilization. In recent years, the energy industry has deeply practiced the idea of ecological civilization, coordinated the promotion of high-quality development and high-level protection, and green development has continuously reached a new level. First, from the perspective of energy structure, non-fossil energy has accelerated to become the main body of supply increment. In 2023, non-fossil energy will account for more than 40% of the total new energy production, and the energy production system will accelerate the development of low-carbon. Second, from the perspective of the industrial system, green and low-carbon technologies have accelerated into the world's advanced ranks. China's new energy power generation technology is in the first echelon in the world, contributing more than 70% of photovoltaic modules and 60% of wind power equipment to the world. The level of greening and modernization of the energy industry chain has been continuously improved. Third, from the perspective of terminal energy, the formation of a diversified supply and consumption system has been accelerated. The clean heating rate in the northern region has reached 76%, and about 8.6 million units of charging infrastructure have been built across the country, reaching more than 5 times that of 2020, and the level of terminal energy electrification will increase by about 1 percentage point every year in the "14th Five-Year Plan".
At the same time, there are still some difficulties and challenges in the process of energy transition. First, the unexpected growth of energy demand has increased the pressure on transformation. In the first three years of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the average annual increase in energy consumption was 1 of the 13th Five-Year Plan8 times, which is equivalent to an additional annual increase in the UK's energy consumption, and it is expected that it will maintain rigid growth in the coming period, making it more difficult to coordinate energy security and low-carbon transition. Second, energy conservation and carbon reduction on the consumption side need to be strengthened urgently. China's energy intensity is 1 of the world average5 times, the energy consumption of the six high-energy-consuming industries accounted for as much as 75%, and the progress of the "14th Five-Year Plan" energy consumption reduction index per unit of GDP lagged behind expectations. The potential of follow-up electric energy substitution is gradually narrowing, and the difficulty of clean substitution of terminal energy is increasing. Third, the construction of major projects is faced with many resource constraints. Concentrated contiguous new energy development land and sea space are insufficient, it is difficult to coordinate the construction of hydropower, nuclear power, transmission channels and other projects with ecologically sensitive areas, new energy storage, solar thermal power generation and other first-class mechanisms have not yet been perfected, and the joint force of energy transition policies needs to be strengthened urgently.
On the new journey, energy development must unswervingly implement the idea of ecological civilization, thoroughly implement the new energy security strategy of "four revolutions and one cooperation", and accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system
First, we need to build a solid foundation for safe carbon reduction. We will continue to enhance our energy production capacity, improve the level of independent support, and provide reliable momentum for promoting Chinese-style modernization. Based on China's resource endowment, in accordance with the principle of establishing first and then breaking, and overall planning, we will promote the orderly replacement of new and old energy as a whole. We should give full play to the role of fossil energy as a backstop, strengthen clean and efficient utilization, and improve the supporting and regulating role of low-carbon energy transformation.
The second is to increase the supply of non-fossil energy. Promote the development of hydropower in major river basins in an orderly manner, and maintain a steady pace of nuclear power construction. Steadily promote the construction of new energy bases, optimize the planning and layout of offshore wind power bases, vigorously promote distributed renewable energy systems, and increase the installed capacity of new energy by more than 100 million kilowatts per year. By 2030, 70% of new energy consumption will be generated by non-fossil sources**.
The third is to promote energy conservation and carbon reduction on the consumption side. Carry out energy efficiency improvement actions in key industries, accelerate the substitution of electric energy in industry, construction, transportation and other fields, strengthen the integration and interaction between new energy vehicles and power grids, and reach about 30% of the level of terminal energy electrification by 2025. We will continue to expand the consumption of green electricity, promote the orderly connection of the electricity market, the green certificate market and the carbon market, and ensure full coverage of the issuance of green certificates.
Fourth, strengthen green and low-carbon technology innovation. Consolidate and expand the advantages of the new energy industry, and promote technological innovation in large-scale wind power, high-efficiency photovoltaics, and solar thermal. We will vigorously promote the research and development of new-generation nuclear energy technologies such as small reactors and fourth-generation reactors, and make forward-looking arrangements for controlled nuclear fusion. Optimize the energy science and technology innovation mechanism, promote the deep integration of industry, academia, research and application, play a good role in the "combination of fiscal, tax, financial and other policies", and promote the formation of a stronger energy innovation synergy.