Nuclear power to play key role in China emissions reduction plan: report

Singapore (Platts)--23Sep2011/627 am EDT/1027 GMT

Nuclear power will continue to play a key role in China's plan to control greenhouse emissions, and the country to will also focus on carbon capture and storage as a means of achieving its emission reduction targets, the nation's top climate change official was quoted as saying Friday.

"Currently and in the future, in a bid to control greenhouse gas emissions, China will rely chiefly on saving energy, enhancing energy efficiency, developing renewable energies and developing nuclear power," Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, told delegates at a carbon sequestration leadership forum in Beijing Thursday, the China Daily reported.

Following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan, China ordered safety inspections of its nuclear plants and suspended approval of new projects, leading to speculation that the country would scale back its nuclear energy program, the report said.

The inspections were completed at the end of August and the results will soon be made public, a report in business daily China Securities Journal said this week.

The country is likely to start approving new nuclear power projects next year, the China Securities Journal report added.

Xie said that while it is difficult for China to change its energy consumption structure, which relies heavily on coal for electricity generation, carbon capture and storage can play a critical role in emissions reduction in the country, according to the China Daily.

Coal remains the primary source of energy in China with more than 70% of its electricity generated from the fuel, making China the world's largest coal consumer.

The country has budgeted more than Yuan 400 million ($62.7 million) for carbon capture and storage research and projects this year, and China will continue to increase its investment in CCS research and development in the next five years, Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang told the conference.

China has targeted reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 17% over 2011-2015. It also aims to raise the proportion of non-fossil fuels in its energy consumption to 11.4% in the five-year period, from 8.3% currently, the China Daily report said.

--Calvin Lee, calvin_lee@platts.com

Creative Commons License.
To subscribe or visit go to:  http://www.platts.com