Relevant responsible comrades of the National Development and Reform Commission answered reporters 'questions on the "Action Plan for Low-Carbon Transformation and Construction of Coal and Electricity (2024-2027)"
Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly issued the "Action Plan for Low-Carbon Transformation and Construction of Coal and Electricity (2024-2027)"(Fa Gai Huan Zi [2024] No. 894, hereinafter referred to as the "Action Plan"). In order to facilitate all relevant parties to accurately understand and grasp the policy content, relevant responsible comrades of the National Development and Reform Commission were interviewed and answered questions from reporters.
Question: Please introduce the background and significance of the promulgation of the Action Plan.
Answer: In recent years, my country has actively promoted the clean and efficient use of coal, vigorously developed renewable energy, and accelerated the green and low-carbon transformation of energy and achieved positive results. However, due to the randomness and volatility of renewable energy power, coal power will still play a role in ensuring energy security for a certain period of time. Benchmarking the carbon emission level of natural gas power generation units and accelerating the low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired power are important measures to promote green and low-carbon development of energy and help achieve the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
In order to fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, conscientiously implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, in accordance with the "2024-2025 Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction"(Guo Fa [2024] No. 12) Relevant requirements, coordinate the promotion of low-carbon transformation of existing coal-fired power units and the low-carbon construction of new coal-fired power units, and promote the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient new energy system. The National Development and Reform Commission, The National Energy Administration jointly issued the "Action Plan" to clarify the main goals and tasks of low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired power.
Question: What are the main goals proposed in the Action Plan?
Answer: According to the two time points of 2025 and 2027, the "Action Plan" puts forward the goal of low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired electricity.
By 2025, all the first batch of coal-fired low-carbon transformation and construction projects will start, and a batch of coal-fired low-carbon power generation technologies will be converted and applied; the carbon emissions of related projects will be reduced by about 20% compared with the average carbon emission level of similar coal-fired units in 2023. It is significantly lower than the carbon emission level of advanced coal-fired units in active service, exploring useful experience for the clean and low-carbon transformation of coal-fired power.
By 2027, the technical route of coal-fired power generation will be further broadened, and construction and operating costs will be significantly reduced; the carbon emissions of related projects will be reduced by about 50% compared with the average carbon emission level of similar coal-fired power units in 2023, close to the carbon emission level of natural gas generating units., forming a strong leading role in the clean and low-carbon transformation of coal-fired power.
Question: What are the methods and requirements for low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired electricity?
Answer: On the basis of full investigation, systematic analysis, and in-depth demonstration, the "Action Plan" proposes three transformation and construction methods, and clarifies the transformation and construction requirements in three aspects, including project layout, unit conditions, and carbon reduction effects.
In terms of transformation and construction methods: First, biomass is blended and burned, making full use of biomass resources such as agricultural and forestry waste, sandy plants, and energy plants, and implementing coal-fired units coupled with biomass power generation. The second is the blending of green ammonia, which uses surplus electricity from renewable energy such as wind power and solar power generation to produce green hydrogen and synthesize green ammonia through electrolysis of water, and implements the blending of green ammonia in coal-fired units to generate electricity. The third is carbon capture, utilization and storage. Chemical methods, adsorption methods, membrane methods and other technologies are used to separate and capture carbon dioxide from coal-fired boiler flue gas, implement resource utilization such as efficient oil displacement and methanol preparation, or implement geological storage according to local conditions.
Transformation and construction requirements: First, project layout. The implementation of a project for blending biomass or green ammonia should have a long-term stable source of biomass or green ammonia. To implement carbon capture, utilization and storage projects, the location and surrounding areas should have carbon dioxide resource utilization scenarios or long-term stable geological storage conditions. The second is the condition of the unit. Relevant units should meet basic conditions such as long expected remaining service life and good comprehensive economy, and newly built units must have been included in national planning. Encourage coal-fired power units that undertake technical research tasks for clean and efficient utilization of coal,"two joint ventures" and supporting large-scale wind power and photovoltaic bases to conduct pilot trials. The third is the effect of carbon reduction. Comparing the carbon emission level of coal-fired power units before transformation and the average carbon emission level of similar coal-fired power units in 2023, clear requirements are put forward for the carbon reduction effect of projects completed and put into operation in 2025 and 2027 respectively.
Question: What safeguard measures are proposed in the Action Plan?
Answer: The "Action Plan" proposes safeguard measures to promote low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired electricity around four aspects: financial support, policy support, power grid dispatch, and technological innovation.
The first is to increase financial support. Give full play to the amplification and driving effect of government investment, and use funding channels such as ultra-long-term special treasury bonds to support qualified coal-fired low-carbon transformation and construction projects. Relevant projects should be included in green and low-carbon advanced technology demonstration projects on the basis of merit. Encourage all regions to formulate support policies according to local conditions and increase investment subsidies for low-carbon coal-fired transformation and construction projects.
The second is to strengthen policy support and guarantees. Explore the establishment of a cost-sharing mechanism shared by the government, enterprises, and users, and provide phased support to projects included in the national coal-fired low-carbon transformation and construction list. Encourage qualified projects to raise funds through channels such as issuing real estate investment trust funds, green bonds or applying for green credit, technological innovation and technological transformation reloans in the infrastructure sector, and attract various investment entities to participate in and support the low-carbon transformation of coal and electricity.
The third is to optimize power grid operation and scheduling. Promote the separate measurement of part of the electricity generated by blending biomass/green ammonia for power generation and the installation of carbon capture, utilization and storage facilities. Grid companies should optimize their power operation and dispatch plans, give priority to supporting the connection of coal-fired low-carbon transformation and construction projects with outstanding carbon emission reduction effects to the power grid, and give priority to the project's renewable energy power generation capacity or zero-carbon power generation capacity.
The fourth is to strengthen the application of technological innovation. Strengthen technical research on the blending of coal and electricity with biomass, low-cost green ammonia preparation, and high-proportion blending of crop straw, accelerate the capture and consumption reduction of carbon dioxide in coal-electricity flue gas, absorbent loss, improvement of mass transfer performance of large tower internals, and capture-Technology research and development such as power generation system coordination and control process optimization will make up for technical shortcomings such as carbon dioxide resource utilization, saltwater layer storage, and industrial integration coupling.
Question: How to promote the effective implementation of various tasks in the Action Plan?
Answer: The "Action Plan" puts forward organizational and implementation requirements in three aspects: project organization, project implementation, and publicity and promotion.
The first is project organization. The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration organize all regions and relevant central enterprises to apply for the implementation of low-carbon coal-fired power transformation and construction projects, organize review and determine the list of national coal-fired power low-carbon transformation and construction projects in accordance with procedures. Projects of central enterprises and their holding subsidiaries shall be declared by the headquarters of the central enterprises, and other projects shall be declared by the local provincial development and reform departments and energy authorities.
The second is project implementation. Provincial development and reform departments and energy authorities have strengthened the guarantee of raw material and fuel supply and land and energy use for project construction, and strengthened guidance support, supervision and management, and safety control. The central enterprise headquarters is responsible for project supervision within the system to ensure project quality and safety. The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, together with relevant departments, conduct evaluations and inspections on the implementation of the project.
The third is publicity and promotion. Provincial development and reform departments and energy authorities promptly track the construction and operation of dispatch projects, strengthen the promotion and application of advanced technologies for coal-fired and low-carbon power generation, and regularly report work progress. The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration have intensified the publicity and promotion of typical experiences and promptly incorporated them into the guidance catalog for industrial structure adjustment, the guidance catalog for green and low-carbon transformation industries, and the promotion catalog for green technologies.
