China will phase out coal but for now it’s essential in the energy mix: senior climate official
- Environment ministry’s head of climate change says coal-fired power stations are needed to ensure stability of supply in move towards peak emissions
- China must balance environmental goals with other priorities, such as economic growth and easing poverty, says Li Gao
Even though coal will play a less dominant role in China’s energy mix, it remains essential for both domestic energy consumption and overseas investment, at least for the near future, says a senior Chinese climate official.
Li Gao, head of the climate change office at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, made the comments at a press conference on Tuesday, following pledges made by Chinese President Xi Jinping last week to restrict the country’s coal industry as part of China’s efforts to cut global emissions.
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“Coal used to be our main source of energy supply, but the role of coal-powered plants will undergo a massive change,” Li said.
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Last week’s pledge was part of China’s efforts to cut emissions. Last year, Xi announced that China would bring its emissions to a peak before 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060.
On Tuesday, Li said China would still need to build a relatively few coal-powered plants in the near future to ensure stable energy supply.
“We will rigorously push for development in renewable energy, but without revolutionary advancement in the energy storage technology we still need coal to ensure the stability in our energy supply,” said Li, adding that the new plants would not emit as much as traditional coal plants.
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Li said China would invest more in wind and solar energy. In its latest five-year plan, Beijing said the share of non-fossil fuels would account for 20 per cent of the country’s total energy consumption by 2025, up from 15.3 per cent in 2020.
But China’s coal-powered generation continues to rise. Research from Greenpeace in March found that 46.1GW of new coal capacity was approved last year, more than the previous three years combined.
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Li defended China’s financing of coal-powered plants overseas.
“We are aware of the international public opinion. But we also need to consider the need of the developing countries, as many of them can’t even afford [the cheapest form of] electricity,” he said.
While Li maintained climate goals and economic development were “not mutually exclusive”, he said China needed to balance its emission goals with other priorities, such as economic growth and alleviating poverty.
