The third review of the draft energy law is imminent: plans to expand green energy consumption

On November 1, the Legal Affairs Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress held a press conference for the spokesperson. At the meeting, spokesperson Huang Haihua introduced that the 12th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress was held in Beijing from November 4th to 8th. At that time, the draft Energy Law will be submitted to this meeting for third review.

Three reviews of the draft Energy Law. Huang Haihua said that in September 2024, the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress conducted a second review of the draft Energy Law. Based on opinions from various parties, the three review drafts of the draft are proposed to make the following main changes: First, add provisions for the country to establish and improve the energy standard system. The second is to increase regulations for energy users to actively participate in "energy demand response" and expand green energy consumption. Third, add regulations for the country to actively promote market-based energy-saving services. Fourth, implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and add regulations that the state guides energy users to adjust energy use methods, time, quantity, etc. by implementing ladder prices, time-of-use prices and other systems to promote energy conservation and improve energy utilization efficiency. The fifth is to strengthen the obligations of energy supply companies, clarify that they are not allowed to collect fees illegally, and increase relevant legal responsibilities. Sixth, add provisions for the energy authorities of the State Council to work with relevant departments of the State Council to strengthen guidance and coordination on cross-provincial energy emergency work. Seventh, improve the coordination mechanism for energy authorities to handle energy disputes.

When answering media questions, Huang Haihua also said that the "Decision" of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee clearly stated that "promoting ecological priority, conservation and intensive, green and low-carbon development","improving green and low-carbon development mechanisms" and "improving green consumption incentive mechanism". The draft Energy Law implements the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee, continuously strengthens the priority of renewable energy, and promotes green and low-carbon transformation and sustainable development of the economy and society. First, optimize the energy structure, clarify the state's support for giving priority to the development and utilization of renewable energy, rationally develop and clean and efficient use of fossil energy, promote the safe, reliable and orderly replacement of fossil energy by non-fossil energy, and increase the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption. The second is to establish a new mechanism for comprehensive transformation from dual control of total energy consumption and intensity to dual control of total carbon emissions and intensity, and accelerate the construction of a dual control system for total carbon emissions and intensity. The third is to make special regulations on the development and utilization of renewable energy such as hydropower, wind energy, solar energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy, ocean energy, and hydrogen energy. Fourth, clearly improve the guarantee mechanism for renewable energy power consumption and promote the consumption of renewable energy power. Fifth, by implementing systems such as renewable energy green power certificates, we will establish a green energy consumption promotion mechanism to encourage energy users to give priority to the use of clean and low-carbon energy such as renewable energy, and clarify that public institutions should give priority to purchasing and using clean and low-carbon energy such as renewable energy. Energy and energy-saving products and services. Sixth, accelerate the construction of new power systems and improve the power grid's ability to accept, allocate and regulate renewable energy.