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Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei to realize zero coal use growth by 2017: NDRC

China plans to realize zero or even negative growth in coal consumption in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei economic zone by 2017, said Xu Shaoshi, director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), on the state press conference on November 3.

In 2014, the NDRC and another two ministries issued a scheme on combating air pollution, setting a total reduction of 63 million tonnes in coal consumption for the three regions by 2017.

According to the scheme, by 2017, coal consumption in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei should be cut by 13 million, 10 million and 40 million tonnes, respectively.

To effectively reduce air pollution, the three regions have aimed to reduce coal consumption totaling 105.65 million tonnes by 2017.

By far, Hebei province has cut coal consumption of 77.9 million tonnes or 30% of its annual coal consumption, well above the state goal.

Tianjin also surpassed the planned volume, cutting coal consumption by 13.35 million tonnes.

Beijing, whose coal consumption has fallen below 20 million tonnes in 2014, would cut 14.4 million tonnes of coal consumption by 2017. By then, the capital city would only consume 10 million tonnes of coal or less, about 10% of its energy consumption.

In addition, the environmental authorities of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei would implement a unified regional coal management, to ensure supply of clean energy and combat pollution.

In the13th Five-Year Plan period, the Chinese government would also increase the share of non-fossil energies, which reached 11.1% of the total in 2014, strengthen management of total energy use and energy intensity, advance marketization and cooperation with overseas companies and institutes on clean energy and pollution control, said Xu.

source: http://en.sxcoal.com