China Digital Times

China news tagged with: energy conservation (28)

• Taiwan Invited To Light Up Chinese Cities

  

  From AP:

  Chinese officials have invited Taiwanese companies to supply selected mainland cities with ultra-bright, energy-saving LED lights, the latest in a series of big business deals between the rivals.

  At a two-day conference that ended Wednesday, Chinese delegates asked leading Taiwanese light-emitting diode makers to participate in a mainland project to light up 10 cities with cutting-edge LED street lights.

  Wu Qing, an official of Heilongjiang Province, said Taiwanese makers can supply the lights in Harbin, capital of the northeast Chinese province known for its long winter nights.

  » Read more
  • June 12, 2009 12:50 AM

• Energy Retrofitting: The Story of Sohota

  

  The Asia Society’s China Green project has produced a new documentary about an energy retrofitting firm. Watch it below:

  China’s economic boom has fueled a flurry of real estate construction, but the growth has also exacerbated the nation’s growing energy crisis. While millions of Chinese have seen their standard of living increase, if the government fails to enforce building and energy efficiency standards, China will soon be unable to power itself as a nation. Despite some progress made between 1980 and 2000, energy intensity, a measure for the energy efficiency of a nation’s economy, has dropped dramatically.

  The Chinese government has responded by setting a five-year plan to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent by 2010. The plan calls for buildings in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Tianjin to implement energy savings by about 65 percent. Despite such government support, improvement has been slow. Nevertheless, experts agree China may be on the cusp of a green building boom due to a growing number of private energy service companies (ESCOS) nationwide.

  Sohota Electric, an energy savings company in Zhuhai, Guangdong is one of those firms. Twelve years ago, company President Chen Xiaogang began selling energy efficient appliances and products, though demand for them was nowhere near it is today. He remembers trying to pitch the idea of energy retrofitting to oil refineries and other state-owned enterprises. Nobody bought it. Now, a decade later, Chen’s clientele includes state television broadcaster CCTV, whose energy bill Sohota has cut by 16 percent.

  » Read more
  • April 24, 2009 9:36 AM

• Can China Go Green?

  

  Robert Collier, a visiting scholar at U.C. Berkeley who is writing a book and China and global warming, has written a guest post on the Climate Progress blog answering the question, “Can China go green?“:

  After Saturday’s sputtering end of the U.N. climate talks in Poznan, Poland, it’s clearer than ever that the fate of the post-Kyoto negotiations will depend on whether China can be coaxed to adopt some sort of carbon emissions limits. But as this tug of war plays out in the next year and beyond, what’s most important is not what China says on the diplomatic front but what it does on the home front.

  The news on that score is mixed at best. On Friday, the central government admitted that the country is sliding backward in its crucial benchmark for its campaign to increase energy efficiency throughout the economy. The National Development and Reform Commission, China’s super-cabinet agency for economic policy, announced that energy consumption per unit of GDP (what the Chinese call “energy intensity”) fell 3.46 percent over the first three quarters. That’s well below the goal of a 20 percent reduction from 2006 to 2010, which would require 4 percent annual reduction. In fact, 2008 will be the third successive year to fail to reach the benchmark. (The figures for 2006 and 2007 were 1.79 percent and 3.66 percent respectively.) Even worse, the pace of improvement slackened notably during this year’s third quarter, with energy intensity falling only 0.58 percent.

  All of this is especially bad news because the energy intensity campaign has been the Chinese government’s single most prominent initiative related to global warming.

  » Read more
  • December 16, 2008 2:38 PM

• “Smart” Energy Management for China’s Transmission Grid

  

  Merging electricity infrastructure with information technology, the Smart Grid is a project that aims to reduce China’s energy consumption per unit of GDP. From Renewable Energy World:

  On November 9th the Chinese government approved a US $586 billion stimulus plan focused on large-scale investment in low-income housing, water, rural infrastructure and electricity in China. Though the primary purpose of this initiative is to spur economic growth at a time when exports are falling, as the Chinese stock market is in the doldrums and GDP growth is flagging, a secondary effect of this stimulus plan may be increased investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency in China.

  This effort would include accelerating efforts to achieve the goal of reducing China’s energy consumption per unit of GDP by a cumulative 20% by 2010. One very promising approach for China to build energy conservation into its infrastructure is the construction of a “smart grid.”

  The “smart grid” is the merging of electricity infrastructure with information technology. The purpose is to add monitoring, analysis, control and communication capabilities to any national electrical delivery system to maximize efficiency while reducing energy consumption. Creating a unified power grid and upgrading aging power systems will increase productivity, reduce carbon dioxide emissions and increase national security.

  The detail of the Smart Grid project is described on Joint US-China Cooperation on Clean Energy (JUCCCE)’s website. This project was discussed in JUCCCE’s recent convention in Beijing on November 10-11.

  The Smart Grid Program’s initial goals: stimulate interest in Smart Grid planning, in China, and identify a few key Chinese leaders. Smart Grid will involve bringing in a series of international experts to China, over time. These discussions will help disparate groups begin to define Smart Grid in the context of China—as JUCCCE investigates case studies on return on investment (ROI). Smart Grid will outline a set of necessary early decisions, in China, so as not to make later implementation unnecessarily expensive.

  The Smart Grid Program’s secondary goal: create a feasibility study of the financial, policy and technical requirements of a Smart Grid in China.

  The Smart Grid Program’s third goal: catalyze a regional pilot for Smart Grid.

  Follow CDT’s alternative energy and energy conservation tags to see what other technologies China is pursuing to meet its growing energy demand.

  » Read more
  • November 13, 2008 9:06 PM

• China Warms to Energy-Saving Challenge

  

  A quick but compelling look inside China’s nascent green building movement, from Caijing’s English edition:

  This past winter was particularly cozy for residents at No. 12 West Huixin Street in Beijing. “In the past, it was so cold in winter that we would need to wear heavy sweaters and even coats at home,” said an elderly man surnamed Wang, who has lived in the building more than 10 years. “Now, a sweater should be enough.”

  Wang’s 20-year-old apartment building was included in a Beijing pilot project for energy-saving reconstruction. A project manager said the once-chilly building was refurbished with heat-trapping thermal insulation in the walls, boosting energy savings to levels substantially above government standards.

  Building residents told Caijing they are satisfied with the renovation results. But the results did not come easily. And a variety of other challenges lie ahead as China sets an ambitious course for energy conservation.

  …According to the construction ministry, China aims to annually save 120 million tons of coal through building improvements nationwide by 2010. In addition to applying energy-saving techniques to new construction, projects that involve existing buildings in Beijing and Tangshan are widely considered as potential contributors toward the government’s goal.

  However, financing issues and a lack of information about energy consumption in existing buildings pose challenges. The current plan calls for the Ministry of Finance, local governments and building residents to share expenses. Meanwhile, Xu told Caijing that a lack of proven, detailed energy information about individual residential buildings makes it difficult to accurately estimate their renovation costs and energy-saving capacities.

  For background on green building efforts in China, see Lawrence Berkeley Lab’s “Building Green for China’s Future” (on Olympics-related environmental planning), and the Christian Science Monitor’s “A ‘green’ building rises amid Beijing smog” (a profile of the first building in Beijing to achieve LEED certification.)

  » Read more
  • March 31, 2008 3:37 AM

• Burning Bright in Beijing

  

  China Dialogue looks at two companies in Beijing that are promoting energy conservation:

  Xiongcai aims to solve some very real problems: how can China make use of its current stock of 4.8 million coal-burning boilers? How can the country cleanly and efficiently burn coal and biomass fuels like chaff, sawdust, leaves and household waste? How can the country utilise commonly discarded low-grade coal such as lignite, coal slurry and gangue, and coal that has not been fully burnt the first time round? These have long been important questions for China’s energy and environmental sectors.

  » Read more
  • March 3, 2008 10:53 PM

• The Right Chemistry – Liu Jie

  

  
  
  A positive story of foreign companies helping Chinese firms and localities achieve higher energy efficiency and greener development. China needs to see a lot of these take hold in the country. From China Daily:

  Due to its efforts in governmental programs and incentives for local partners, BASF was named one of the top global companies in CSR (corporate social responsibility) performance in China in 2007. The award was given late last month by the magazine Foreign Investment in China, which operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Commerce.

  BASF and SEPA also co-sponsored a gasoline engine testing lab in 2005. In the new diesel lab, BASF supports the project financially and is providing technology and R&D expertise.

  The two entities are working together at the lab to study and identify selected industries to undergo what is known as “eco-efficiency analysis” developed by BASF that looks at a product not in isolation but in the context of how it is used and in comparison with alternative products. [Full Text]

  » Read more
  • December 17, 2007 8:52 PM

• China Reports Progress On Cutting Pollution, But Not Enough – AFP

  

  From AFP:

  China said Thursday it was making progress in its efforts to improve the nation’s energy efficiency and cut pollution emissions, but acknowledged that not enough was being done.

  “The results of our energy consumption and emission reduction (efforts) are starting to show,” Xie Zhenhua, deputy head of the National Development Reform Commission, told a press briefing.

  “But the situation is still grave… we have not yet completely reached our targets and if this trend doesn’t reverse, it will have a great impact on our… goals.” [Full Text]

  » Read more
  • November 29, 2007 9:43 PM

• Building a Frugal Society – Pan Jiahua

  

  From China Dialogue:

  Adopting sustainable architecture will bring China great environmental gains with little effort, writes Pan Jiahua. If the country really wants to build a “frugal society”, this is how.

  Sustainable architecture also provides potential savings in energy consumed by heating and air conditioning. Only 10% to 15% of buildings constructed in China in recent years meet national energy-saving targets. Of the 40 billion square metres of urban buildings, 95% are classified as high energy consumers. Tests carried out in the city of Tianjin showed that residential compounds whose buildings met national standards could reduce energy used for heating by up to 30%. [Full Text]

  Pan Jiahua is the vice-principal of the Center for Urban Development and Environment, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

  » Read more
  • November 7, 2007 5:52 AM

• Why Building Energy Efficiency Matters – Jun Li

  

  
  
  From China Dialogue:

  The buildings sector is responsible for around one-third of global energy use and associated carbon dioxide emissions. In 2004, China was responsible for 15% of world energy consumption and associated emissions. Residential and commercial buildings account for one-quarter of China’s total energy consumption and around 27% of the country’s electricity consumption. Overall, buildings are responsible for around 18% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in China.

  China constructs more than 2 billion square metres of floor area annually – higher than any other country in the world. Every year, housing construction consumes 20% of China’s steel output and 17.6% of cement production. At the same time, demand for energy in the buildings sector will rise sharply as standards of living increase. China’s gross domestic product per capita is expected to reach US$3,000 by 2020 (US$10,000 in terms of purchasing power parity). The buildings sector accounts for 40% of energy consumption in OECD countries, which suggests a considerable increase in energy demand from China in coming decades. [Full Text]

  [Image source: China Dialogue]

  » Read more
  • November 4, 2007 2:44 PM

• China’s Banks Told To Invest More On Green Projects – Reuters

  

  From Reuters:

  China’s cash-rich state-run commercial banks should invest more in energy-saving and renewable projects, an academic and a government official said on Sunday.

  Big state banks should divert 2 to 3 percent of their annual loans to green production, as funding on these projects falls well below the amount required, said Yang Fuqiang of the U.S.-based Energy Foundation, which advises Beijing on energy-saving policy.

  “It should not be about making money only. They (banks) should think of making money long-term,” Yang told Reuters on the sidelines of a seminar on how China’s financial sector can help achieve energy efficiency. [Full Text]

  » Read more
  • September 24, 2007 2:41 AM

• Green Traffic Week to Cut Emissions – Liu Weifeng

  

  From China Daily:

  The government has urged people in 108 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, to walk, ride bicycles and use public transport instead of driving cars for a week till September 22.

  Initiated by the Ministry of Construction (MOC), the first national urban public transport campaign, “Green Transport and Health”, will see one or more special zones in the 108 cities. These will be open only to pedestrians, bicycles, taxis and buses from 7 am to 7 pm on September 22, or the “No Car Day”.

  The move is an attempt to raise residents’ “awareness on energy saving and environmental protection” because the country’s cities are plagued by traffic congestions and pollution caused by too many vehicles on the road. [Full Text]

  » Read more
  • September 16, 2007 10:54 PM

• U.S. Will Help Chinese Industry Boost Energy Efficiency – Environment News Service

  

  From Environment News Service:

  Energy officials from the United States and China Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, to increase cooperation and energy efficiency in China’s industrial sector, which accounts for 70 percent of the country’s total energy demand.

  Karen Harbert, U.S. Department of Energy, DOE, assistant secretary for policy and international affairs and Chen Deming, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Committee signed the agreement at a meeting in San Francisco.

  This MOU follows discussions this week at the third U.S.-China Energy Policy Dialogue where the agreed to jointly conduct audits to increase China’s national, regional, and local energy efficiency. Teams from each country, working together, will do audits at up to 12 facilities from “The Top 1000″ energy enterprises in China. [Full Text]

  » Read more
  • September 15, 2007 9:28 PM

• China Launches Energy Conservation Guide for Citizens – Ling Li

  

  From China Watch:

  China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has launched a new energy conservation guide for citizens in an effort to promote the twin goals of saving energy and reducing emissions. The guide, printed on recycled paper, discusses 36 categories of household living where people can reduce their energy use, from housing and eating to commuting and laundry. For each category, it provides the amount of energy savings from taking specific actions as well as the associated reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, based on a MOST study.

  The guide illustrates how small changes in lifestyle can lead to significant energy savings. For example, buying one less item of fashion clothing each year can save roughly 2.5 kilograms of coal equivalent and reduce CO2 emissions by 6.4 kilograms. Other “green” tips include choosing energy-efficient washing machines and refrigerators, using compact fluorescent light bulbs, developing solar power and methane energy in rural areas, and cycling or taking public transportation instead of driving. Consumers can also save energy by cutting back on drinking and smoking, the guide notes. [Full Text]

  » Read more
  • September 15, 2007 5:05 AM

• Cooler Living For China’s Youth? – China Youth Daily

  

  China Dialogue translates the results of a survey on environmental awareness among urban youth recently conducted by China Youth Daily. From the intro:

  China’s rapid economic development has materially enriched the lives of ordinary Chinese people, and at the same time increased our demands as consumers. But for how long will limited resources be able to bear the burden of our unlimited desires? Do we – especially the young people who are leading the charge of consumerism – really have enough of an understanding of the principles of sustainable consumption? Do we really want to put these principles into practice? And how can we spread these ideas?

  Among the surveys more notable findings:

  » Read more
  • September 1, 2007 3:48 AM

CDT BOOKSHELF

China Digital Times is run by the Berkeley China Internet Project | Copyright © China Digital Times | Powered by WordPress.