Emergency use comes first and carbon footprint related standards are established. Why does electricity bear the brunt?| Carbon Footprint Series Interpretation ①
Fifteen departments including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment recently jointly issued the "Implementation Plan on Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System"(hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"). The "Plan" requires the issuance of carbon footprint accounting rules and standards for key products. Priority will be given to key products such as electricity, coal, natural gas, fuel oil, steel, lithium batteries, new energy vehicles, photovoltaics and electronic appliances, and accounting rules and standards will be formulated and released. Why is electricity the first to bear the brunt? What is its important role in establishing a carbon footprint management system in my country? With these questions in mind, our reporter interviewed industry experts.
Priority should be given to establishing power carbon footprint accounting rules and standards
Help upstream and downstream related industries calculate carbon footprints and reduce carbon emissions
"Electricity is a basic and public industry. Power products are both material products and energy products. They can provide material and energy for the development of other industries. According to the "Plan", priority will be given to establishing power carbon footprint accounting rules and standards, which will not only promote the industry's own carbon footprint management and application, but also lay the foundation for establishing carbon footprint rules and standards in upstream and downstream related industries." Zhang Jingjie, deputy director of the Planning and Development Department of the China Electricity Council (hereinafter referred to as China Electricity Council), told this reporter.
So, how will the establishment of power carbon footprint accounting rules and standards affect the establishment of carbon footprint rules and standards for upstream and downstream related industries?
"Carbon footprint is considering carbon emissions from the perspective of the entire life cycle. For example, to calculate the carbon emissions of electricity generated by photovoltaic power stations, we must not only calculate the carbon emissions of the entire manufacturing, packaging and transportation of photovoltaic panels and various auxiliary materials starting from silicon materials, but also the carbon emissions of the power station construction and operation stages. Consider this, at the same time, we must also consider the emissions at the stages of scrapping, recycling and reuse of subsequent power stations and photovoltaic materials, which means that we must consider the carbon emissions at each stage of the entire process from cradle to grave'." Shi Weiwei, director of the operation and management department of China Datang Group Green and Low Carbon Development Co., Ltd. and general manager of Datang Carbon Assets Co., Ltd., told this reporter that in order to establish the carbon footprint of the entire power product, the carbon footprint of power equipment manufacturing must also be controlled., naturally it will affect the upstream industry.
For downstream industries, all industries need electricity. Shi Weiwei said that for other industries, the power industry is its upstream industry. If the carbon footprint of power products is calculated clearly, it will naturally help all industries calculate their own product carbon footprint.
It is worth noting that the "Plan" mentions the need to establish a hierarchical management system for product carbon footprint. Zhang Jingjie said: "This system is also conducive to more refined implementation of carbon emission control of power products, and stricter requirements for high-carbon products will help promote the reduction of carbon emissions in power products themselves and upstream and downstream industrial chains. It is an important starting point for the implementation of the power industry."
If we want to promote the upstream and downstream industrial chains to reduce carbon emissions by establishing a product carbon footprint hierarchical management system, Zhang Jingjie believes that calculating carbon footprints is the foundation, evaluating carbon footprints is the focus, certifying carbon footprints is the key, and reducing carbon footprints is the goal.
"Power products include electric energy, such as photovoltaics, wind power, coal power, gas point, nuclear power, hydropower, etc.; they also include electric equipment such as photovoltaic modules, fans, cables, transformers, etc." Zhang Jingjie further pointed out: "In order to accurately distinguish high-carbon and low-carbon power products, first of all, we must standardize the accounting boundaries, scope, calculation methods, data quality, etc. through carbon footprint accounting standards, and unify the carbon emission quantification methods and data quality assurance of similar power products; Secondly, Standardize the evaluation methods, basis and levels through the carbon footprint evaluation standards, and clarify the carbon emission level of power products compared with themselves or compared with similar products; Thirdly, the level of carbon emissions is disclosed to relevant parties (especially upstream and downstream of the industrial chain) through carbon footprint certification; finally, the ultimate goal of reducing the carbon footprint of products can be achieved by implementing energy conservation and carbon reduction measures."
Strengthen carbon footprint management in the power industry
Help enhance the low-carbon competitiveness of enterprises and deal with foreign green barriers
At present, the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism and related bills are carbon-related trade rules. Enterprises exporting goods have to face foreign green barriers.
Energy is the foundation of economic development, the source of wealth growth, and the foundation of social stability. Strengthening carbon footprint management in the power industry will not only help accelerate the establishment of my country's carbon footprint management system, promote the green and low-carbon transformation of production and lifestyle, enhance international exchanges and mutual trust in carbon footprint work, but also help the development of new quality productivity and the realization of "double carbon" goals.
According to the "Plan", by 2030, about 200 key product carbon footprint accounting rules and standards will be formulated and promulgated. Product carbon footprint accounting rules, factor databases and carbon labeling certification systems will gradually be in line with the international standards, and substantial participation will be made in the formulation of international rules for product carbon footprints.
"At this stage, we need to first establish urgently needed carbon footprint accounting rules, standards and emission factor databases in basic industries such as electricity and coal and export industries. In the next step, with more and more industry management departments, industry associations, and society With the active participation of all walks of life, each unit has built and improved its own carbon footprint standard system and continuously improved its respective industry's carbon emission factor database. Everyone will work together, and the goals in the Plan will surely be achieved.”Shi Weiwei pointed out.
According to Zhang Jingjie, in order to promote mutual recognition of the carbon footprint of the power industry at home and abroad, China ITU has already carried out a lot of work. Including promoting international mutual recognition of green energy; strengthening professional exchanges with international organizations, and attracting international experts to participate in discussions during the labeling formulation process; actively striving to promote China's green power to be fairly recognized by the international community through multiple platforms and multiple channels; Strengthen ties with international green power producers and consumers, and establish a communication bridge between China and the world on issues in the field of green energy.
"Under the global cooperation and game on climate change, carbon footprint management is conducive to improving enterprise management and enhancing the low-carbon competitiveness of enterprises, especially the international competitiveness of export-oriented and carbon-sensitive enterprises, so that enterprises can better adapt to energy consumption. Dual control shifts to dual control of carbon emissions." Zhang Jingjie suggested,"Relevant companies should also actively strengthen carbon footprint management, implement the carbon footprint concept into corporate development planning, production operations, and personnel management through establishing rules and regulations, capacity building, etc., and promote the construction of green supply chains and carbon emission information systems., carbon asset management, etc., to improve the efficiency of carbon footprint management of the company itself and upstream and downstream industries."
