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District Energy Systems in China
The People's Republic of China’s district heat network is the world’s largest. In 2015, it consumed more energy than the entire United Kingdom. While progress is being made, the total impact of energy use and emissions from district heating and even district cooling – on the Chinese economy, on local air quality and health, and on the overall well-being of China’s population – is nevertheless significant. China has great opportunities of lowering the environmental footprint of its district energy system. While the country has pursued assertive public policy decisions in recent years, it is essential to elevate…
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Partner Country Series - Gas Pricing: China’s Challenges and IEA Experience
…term, but notable challenges remained, particularly concerning gas pricing and the institutional and regulatory landscape. While China’s circumstances are, in many respects unique, some current issues are similar to those a number of IEA countries have faced. This report highlights some key challenges for China in its transition to greater reliance on natural gas, then explores in detail relevant experiences from IEA countries, particularly the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United States as well as the European Union. Preliminary suggestions about how lessons learned in other countries could be applied to China’s situation are offered as well.
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The Role of Gas in Today's Energy Transitions
…push to improve air quality.Gas has substituted for coal-fired industrial and residential boilers in many urban areas, but the case for switching in the power sector is less clear. There has been relatively less switching in Europe since 2010, with the notable exception of the United Kingdom.However today’s combination of low gas prices and higher CO2 prices in the European Union is giving this process renewed momentum.In India, gas currently has a small share of the energy mix.Large-scale switching has been held back by supply constraints and affordability issues, as well as a la...
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Railway Handbook 2015
Produced in collaboration with the Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer The collaboration of the IEA and the UIC in collecting, elaborating, and presenting activity, energy, and CO2 emissions data was carried out for the fourth time through the release of the Railway Handbook 2015. For this edition, significant methodological improvements were implemented leading to better consistency between the different indicators presented in this Handbook, in addition to updates of the global data, as well as regional breakdowns for those regions that we consider the most relevant from the point of view of transport activity: European Union, USA, Japan, Russia…
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Railway Handbook 2016
Produced in collaboration with the Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer The production of the Railway Handbook 2016 has been an important opportunity to strengthen the collaboration between the IEA and the UIC. This relationship has served to enrich and improve the knowledge of activity, energy and emissions data associated with the railway sector. Part I of this year’s Handbook is dedicated to presenting the most significant data and trends concerning energy consumption and CO2 emissions from the rail sector, focusing on the most important Regions in terms of rail activity, namely EU 28, USA, Japan, Russia, India and…
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Cleaner Coal in China
Cleaner Coal in China China’s coal, mined locally and available at a relatively low cost, has brought enormous benefits to energy consumers in China and to those outside the country who enjoy the products of its coal-based economy. Yet from another perspective, China’s coal use has a high cost. Despite progress, health and safety in the thousands of small coal mines lag far behind the standards achieved in China’s modern, large mines. Environmental degradation is a real and pressing problem at all stages of coal production, supply and use. Adding to these burdens, emissions of carbon…
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Cleaner Coal in China
The People’s Republic of China’s rapid economic growth has aroused intense interest around the world. Policy makers, industrialists, investors, environmentalists, researchers and others want to better understand the issues that this populous nation faces as it further develops an already thriving economy largely fuelled by coal. This study sheds light on the Chinese coal supply and transformation sectors. China’s coal, mined locally and available at a relatively low cost, has brought enormous benefits to energy consumers in China and to those outside the country who enjoy the products of its coal-based economy. Yet from another perspective…
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Integrating Distributed Energy Resources in China
…managed.This report analyses recent trends in DER deployment across China and highlights the emerging challenges their growth poses for power system planning and operation, calling for renewed attention to distribution grids. It puts China’s development of DERs in international perspective by drawing on experiences from jurisdictions that are further along in their DER integration journey, such as Australia, Europe, Japan and the United States. Through cross-country comparison, the analysis identifies lessons and best practices that are relevant to China’s evolving power sector and regulatory landscape. It offers insights into the role of policy, regulation, market design…
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Building a Unified National Power Market System in China
Pathways for spot power markets Power markets are an instrument used globally to ensure electricity security while maintaining affordability and incentivising decarbonisation. The People’s Republic of China (hereafter, “China”) has been making big steps towards implementing markets, and the goals announced in 2020 of carbon dioxide emissions peaking before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060 have added momentum to expand their footprint. Provinces have taken a leading role in designing and implementing markets. To improve sharing of resources, the guidance to implement a unified national market system pushes for more co-ordination between provinces.The main audience of this…
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Oil and Gas Emergency Policy: China 2012 update
Oil and Gas Emergency Policy: China 2012 update The People's Republic of China is one of the most important oil- and natural gas-producing counties in the world. Although coal is the dominant energy source in China, accounting for some 70% of the country’s total energy consumption (TEC) in 2009, oil and gas are also essential energy sources. Despite strong growth in consumption of oil, its share of TEC fell in 2009, as coal use rose even faster to meet burgeoning demand for electricity. Although China is now the world’s fifth-largest oil producer, the country has…