China Plans to Upgrade Coal Plants

China’s cabinet announced Wednesday that it would try to cut pollution from coal-fired power plants by 60 percent by 2020 through upgrades to plants, according to a report by Xinhua, the state news agency.  If successful, the plan for upgrades would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from such plants by 180 million metric tons, the report said.

The announcement formalizes a step China is taking to try to reach broader coal-use and emissions goals to decrease some of the world’s worst levels of air pollutants and to help in limiting climate change.  China is by far the world’s largest coal consumer and emitter of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Earlier this week, President Xi Jinping of China attended the start of the Paris climate talks to reiterate China’s commitment to helping in the global struggle to limit the effects of climate change. During those same days, levels of air pollution across northern China reached their peaks for the year so far.  In parts of Beijing, levels of deadly, fine particulate matter called PM 2.5 were 40 times as high as the recommended daily exposure limit set by the World Health Organization.

The cabinet, the State Council, said Wednesday that the upgrades to coal-fired power plants would mean a reduction in raw coal use of around 100 million metric tons.  That is consistent with an earlier policy plan announced by the government that said new coal-fired power generating units would consume about 300 grams of coal per kilowatt-hour on average.  The power industry accounts for about half of China’s annual coal use.

Newer power plants in China emit less pollution and carbon dioxide than older ones.  Plants in the power industry are less polluting on average than those that produce heavy commodities like steel and cement, as well as heating boilers for wintertime warmth in north China.

China has a glut of coal-fired power plants, as indicated by a recent drop in hours that plants operate.  This year, officials granted permits to build 155 plants across the country, which would contribute to the glut and reduce market share in the sale of electricity to the grid by renewable energy sources.

The slowing economy means there will be a lower growth rate in the demand for power, and overall coal consumption will probably not increase, despite the addition of new coal-fired plants, according to environmental researchers.

In November 2014, Mr. Xi announced that China would try to reach a carbon emissions peak by around 2030, and China has said it is setting a cap on coal use in 2020 of 4.8 billion tons.  China’s coal consumption was flat in 2014 compared with 2013 when measured by energy generation, and some scientists say China may already be reaching its peak in coal use.

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