Energy conservation and carbon reduction actions in four major industries have been released ~ It is planned to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 84 million tons in 2024-2025

In order to implement the "2024-2025 Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction", we will further increase efforts in energy conservation and carbon reduction, implement special actions for energy conservation and carbon reduction in different fields and industries, accelerate the promotion of energy conservation and carbon reduction renovations and the renewal of energy-using equipment, and deeply explore energy conservation and carbon reduction potential. Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with relevant departments, have anchored two time nodes in 2025 and 2030. The first batch of "Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Steel Industry","Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Refining Industry","Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Synthetic Ammonia Industry" and "Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Cement Industry" were issued, proposing the main goals of energy conservation and carbon reduction in the refining, synthetic ammonia and cement industries.

It is reported that at present, about 15%, 15%, 11%, and 16% of the production capacity in my country's crude steel, refining, synthetic ammonia, and cement industries still fail to reach the benchmark level respectively, and there is huge potential for energy conservation and carbon reduction.

Actively promoting energy conservation and carbon reduction in related industries, ensuring the entry threshold for new projects, implementing energy conservation and carbon reduction transformation of existing projects, promoting the renewal of energy-using equipment, and optimizing the energy consumption structure can effectively improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emission levels. Supporting energy conservation and carbon reduction in the whole society is of great significance.

Our reporter learned that the issuance of the four documents this time has set corresponding goals and tasks for the industry's energy efficiency benchmark level.

The "Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Cement Industry" proposes that by the end of 2025, cement clinker production capacity will be controlled at around 1.8 billion tons, the proportion of production capacity above the energy efficiency benchmark level will reach 30%, and production capacity below the energy efficiency benchmark level will be completed through technical transformation or elimination., the comprehensive energy consumption per unit of cement clinker product will be reduced by 3.7% compared with 2020.

The "Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Refining Industry" proposes that by the end of 2025, the country's primary crude oil processing capacity will be controlled within 1 billion tons, and the efficiency of energy resource utilization in the refining industry will be further improved. The proportion of production capacity above the energy efficiency benchmark level will exceed 30%. Production capacity below the energy efficiency benchmark level will be technically transformed or eliminated.

The "Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Steel Industry" proposes that by the end of 2025, the energy consumption per unit of blast furnace and converter processes in the steel industry will be reduced by more than 1% compared with 2023, and the energy consumption per unit of arc furnace smelting will be reduced by more than 2% compared with 2023., the comprehensive energy consumption per ton of steel will be reduced by more than 2% compared with 2023, and the self-generation rate of residual heat, residual pressure and residual energy will increase by more than 3 percentage points compared with 2023. From 2024 to 2025, through the implementation of energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation in the steel industry and the renewal of energy-using equipment, approximately 20 million tons of standard coal will be saved and approximately 53 million tons of carbon dioxide emission will be reduced.

The "Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Synthetic Ammonia Industry" sets a goal that by the end of 2025, the proportion of production capacity above the energy efficiency benchmark level in the synthetic ammonia industry will increase to 30%, and production capacity below the energy efficiency benchmark level will be completed or eliminated. From 2024 to 2025, through the implementation of energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation in the synthetic ammonia industry and the renewal of energy-using equipment, approximately 5 million tons of standard coal will be saved and approximately 13 million tons of carbon dioxide emission will be reduced. By the end of 2030, the proportion of production capacity above the energy efficiency benchmark level in the synthetic ammonia industry will further increase, the efficiency of energy resource utilization will reach the international advanced level, the proportion of green electricity and green hydrogen consumption in the production process will increase significantly, and the green and low-carbon development of the synthetic ammonia industry will achieve remarkable results.

The above four action plans deploy key tasks for energy conservation and carbon reduction around industrial structure adjustment and optimization, energy conservation and carbon reduction transformation and energy-using equipment renewal, green and low-carbon transformation of energy consumption, energy resource recycling, and digital upgrading. It is planned that from 2024 to 2025, four major industries, including steel and cement, should implement energy-saving and carbon-reduction renovations and energy-using equipment updates to save about 32 million tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 84 million tons.

In order to promote policy guarantee measures for energy conservation and carbon reduction in related industries, the above four documents all propose incentive measures in terms of incentives and constraints, financial support, standard improvement, and technology promotion.

The first is to strengthen incentives and constraints. Based on energy efficiency levels and environmental protection performance, we implement refined management of steel, refining, synthetic ammonia, cement and other industries. Comprehensively clean up the preferential electricity price policies introduced by local governments for high-energy-consuming industries. Comprehensively consider energy consumption and environmental protection performance levels, and improve the ladder electricity price system for high-energy-consuming industries.

The second is to increase financial support. Give full play to the amplification effect of government investment, and actively support energy-saving and carbon-reduction renovations in related industries and the renewal of energy-using equipment. Implement the current relevant preferential tax policies such as energy conservation and water conservation, and comprehensive utilization of resources. Actively develop green finance and transformative financial products and services, and guide financial institutions to provide financial support for energy-saving and carbon-reduction renovation and energy-using equipment renewal projects in related industries in accordance with the principles of marketization and legalization.

The third is to promote the improvement of standards. Accelerate the formulation and revision of energy consumption limit standards for unit products in relevant industries, establish and improve the carbon emission technical specification system, and promote the formulation of carbon emission accounting, low-carbon process technology and other standards. Encourage local governments to formulate more stringent energy conservation standards, and support industry associations, enterprises, standardization agencies, etc. to actively participate in the formulation and revision of international standards.

The fourth is to accelerate technological innovation. Relying on scientific research institutions, key enterprises and industrial technology innovation platforms, we will strengthen research on key technologies and equipment for energy conservation and carbon reduction in related industries. Strengthen the comprehensive evaluation of scientific and technological innovation achievements, incorporate advanced technologies and equipment for energy conservation and carbon reduction in relevant industries into the green technology promotion catalog, and accelerate the transformation and application of scientific and technological innovation achievements.