(Essential question) Zhang Bo: What are the similarities and differences between China's energy decarbonization and the transformation of the Ruhr area in Germany?
China News Service, Taiyuan, December 30th. Title: Zhang Bo: What are the similarities and differences between China's energy decarbonization and the transformation of the Ruhr area in Germany?
China News Agency reporter Li Xinsuo
In recent years, under the background of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the global energy transition has started.
As the largest developing country, China firmly follows the path of energy green and low-carbon development.
In the meantime, the transformation of the Ruhr area in Germany has been frequently mentioned by many local governments in China.
In light of national conditions, what opportunities for mutual learning and cooperation can China's energy green and low-carbon development bring to the world?
Zhang Bo, a professor at the School of Economics and Management of Shanxi University and the executive director of the Green Development Research Center, a key humanities and social science base in Shanxi Province, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service on "Question of East and West" for interpretation.
The summary of the interview record is as follows:
China News Agency reporter: In recent years, China has accelerated the pace of energy green and low-carbon development. What experiences and practices are worth learning from?
Zhang Bo:
China maintains strong strategic determination by setting mid- and long-term goals.
Global climate and environmental issues are becoming increasingly severe. During the critical period of accelerating industrialization, China does not follow the extensive development path that relies on sacrificing the environment in exchange for economic growth, and proposes a carbon peak by 2030 and a carbon neutral goal by 2060.
This is a promise and a useful demonstration that China has made to the world.
From 2010 to 2020, China’s energy consumption per unit of GDP has dropped from 0.87 tons of standard coal per 10,000 yuan to 0.49 tons of standard coal per 10,000 yuan, a cumulative decrease of 44%.
In 2019, China's carbon emission intensity was reduced by 48.1% compared with 2005, and the goal of reducing carbon emission intensity promised to the international community by 40% to 45% was achieved ahead of schedule.
The Fujian Yongan Gongchuan Wind Power Project under construction was photographed on July 6, 2020.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhang Bin
China defines the upcoming profound changes in the energy sector as a revolution, and it is not limited to a single industry or field, but based on energy production, consumption, technology, and institutional changes, and comprehensive adjustments and innovations in the social and economic development mode.
In the process of the energy revolution, China has always advocated international cooperation with an inclusive and open attitude, and is willing to share resources and overcome difficulties with other countries in the world on global issues.
In the meantime, China not only attaches importance to the development of domestic green energy, but is also taking advantage of policies, technologies, and funds to provide strong support for the development of green and low-carbon energy in developing countries with the “Belt and Road” initiative as the lead.
Actively promote cross-border and cross-regional energy infrastructure connectivity, and implement a number of green, low-carbon, and sustainable clean energy projects.
In May 2017, sampling at the Nankan Crude Oil Metering Station of the China-Myanmar Pipeline showed that pure crude oil heads had successfully reached the station, marking the successful commissioning of the China-Myanmar crude oil pipeline (Myanmar section).
Photo by Zhong Xin issued by China News Service
Over the years, China has signed a series of cooperation framework agreements and memorandums of understanding with countries along the route, carried out extensive cooperation in the fields of electric power, oil and gas, nuclear power, new energy, coal, etc., and jointly maintained the safe operation of oil and gas pipeline networks with relevant countries, and promoted national and regional cooperation. Optimal allocation of energy resources between the two.
The China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline is fully connected. The China-Russia crude oil pipeline and the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline are in stable operation. The eastern route of the China-Russia natural gas pipeline will be fully ventilated in 2024.
China News Agency reporter: The Ruhr area of Germany is regarded as a model of successful transformation of resource areas. It gradually withdraws from the coal industry through financial subsidies, arranges universities to provide intellectual support, while respecting market laws and focusing on reshaping the image of the city. What enlightenment and reference does the Ruhr area in Germany bring to China?
Zhang Bo:
The transformation of the Ruhr area in Germany has been going on for more than half a century. It has gradually transformed from a "coal and steel center" to a new economic zone where traditional industries such as coal and steel are combined with industries such as information and biotechnology and the coordinated development of multiple industries.
In the past ten years, affected by the subprime mortgage crisis and global energy competition, some new approaches in the energy transformation of the Ruhr Area have further accelerated its transformation process and economic development, which are worth learning and learning from energy bases such as Shanxi in particular.
"Coal" was once the key word in the Ruhr area in Germany.
After the pains of transformation, the Ruhr area regained its vitality.
The picture shows the container terminal of Duisburg Port, one of the most important nodes in Europe.
Photo by Hans Blossey issued by China News Service
First of all, the Ruhr area conforms to the development needs of the EU's energy strategy and actively seeks external financial support.
After the subprime mortgage crisis, affected by the downturn in the European carbon market and other unfavorable factors, the economic development of the Ruhr area faced problems such as lack of motivation and weak growth.
In order to open up new economic growth points, the Ruhr area adjusted its development strategy in a timely manner, relying on its strong advantages in the field of energy technology, and seeking external financial support such as EU structure and investment funds, which played a key role in the green and low-carbon transformation of the energy industry.
For example, the European Regional Development Fund (EFRD) won by the Ruhr area, a total of 1.2 billion euros of investment from 2014 to 2020 was used in innovation and technology subsidies, SME support, renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
The experience of the Ruhr area shows that as an important energy base with a national or regional energy security mission, a large amount of funds is required for transformation. It is far from enough to rely solely on the government and enterprises where the energy is located. It requires financial assistance from a larger area to establish support Special funds, strengthen the central financial support, and at the same time give full play to the role of the financial market, so that finance takes the lead.
Secondly, the Ruhr area strives to build a smart energy ecological industry chain.
The Ruhr area attaches great importance to the integration of information technology, widely uses cutting-edge technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things in the fields of energy development, transportation and utilization, vigorously promotes the promotion and application of digital technology, and carries out digital transformation of all links of the energy system .
At the same time, with the goal of increasing the consumption of renewable energy and promoting energy efficiency, it will create an energy Internet through informationized energy, and promote the realization of intelligent, informatized, and hierarchical interactive management in the entire process of the energy industry.
The experience of the Ruhr area shows that energy transformation cannot only rely on energy technology innovation, but also attach importance to integration with information technology, with the focus on creating smart energy.
While actively promoting the green transformation of energy, the Ruhr District vigorously implements urban renewal projects, energy-saving renovation of houses and roads, improvement of urban charging facilities, electric vehicle sharing, and more use of electric buses, etc., to promote low-carbon life. Build a smart city.
The Ruhr area is not only a supplier of new energy, but also a demander and user.
The energy transition needs to be led by the government, and comprehensive reforms around the use of low-carbon energy in social, people's livelihood, and ecology.
Reporter from China News Service: In the context of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, many countries have embarked on energy transformation. What are the characteristics of China's energy green and low-carbon transition?
Zhang Bo:
China's energy green and low-carbon transition needs to face problems such as the inability to change the dominant position of coal in the short term, the heavy task of reforming the energy system and mechanism, and the energy transition task mainly relying on underdeveloped regions.
China's resource endowment is short of oil, gas, and coal, and it is in the stage of rapid industrialization. Although the proportion of coal consumption has dropped from 70% in 2011 to 56.8% in 2020, it is still the main body of energy supply.
Therefore, one of the key tasks of China's energy green and low-carbon transition is to promote the clean production and utilization of coal.
China's energy sector has not yet fully achieved marketization. The green and low-carbon transition of energy will inevitably be accompanied by system reform centered on electricity marketization. Through the role of market mechanisms, it will stimulate greater power supply potential, promote the rational allocation of power resources, and be better and more efficient. To meet the electricity demand of enterprises.
Like other countries in the world, the main body responsible for China’s energy transition is resource-based regions that focus on energy development. However, compared with the more fully developed regions such as the Ruhr area, China’s resource-based regions generally have a single industry and backward technology. , Lack of human resources and other underdeveloped states.
In April 2020, in Taigu District, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, villagers cultivated seedlings in the nursery stock park.
Jinzhong is the location of Shanxi Agricultural Valley and Shanxi Jinzhong National Agricultural High-tech Industry Demonstration Zone.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhang Yun
For example, Shanxi Province contains one-third of the country’s coal and coal-bed methane resources, and its energy supply accounts for more than one-fifth of the country’s energy supply. However, Shanxi’s share of the country’s GDP has been declining since 2011 and has remained at less than 2% in recent years. Level, middle and lower in the national ranking.
Although Shanxi is actively advancing the energy green transition, there are many difficulties and obstacles.
Therefore, for these regions to be the vanguard of the national energy revolution, they need more national financial assistance, policy support and strategic guidance.
China News Agency reporter: Facing the global proposition of energy and climate change, what opportunities can China's energy green and low-carbon development bring to the world?
Zhang Bo:
China's energy green and low-carbon development market is vast and the demand is strong.
At present, China is still in a period of rapid industrialization, and energy demand is rising. It is estimated that the total energy consumption will increase by 20% from 2020 to 2030.
China has become the world's largest producer and consumer of renewable energy. It is estimated that in 2030, the supply of natural gas and non-fossil energy is expected to account for more than 45% of the total energy supply, and the cumulative increase in non-fossil energy consumption can reach 90%.
In 2016, the world's third and Asia's first molten salt tower solar thermal power station that can achieve 24-hour continuous power generation was connected to the grid in Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Gansu.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Yang Yanmin
Energy transition and climate change are global issues that require every country to participate and strengthen cooperation.
This requires all countries to abandon their standardism and actively participate in the cooperation and negotiation of global energy affairs based on common challenges, common needs and common missions.
China has the broadest green energy market and is very demonstrative.
For other countries, China can become an international cutting-edge clean energy technology testing ground, a place where technology topics are determined, and it can provide a broad market for international energy capital.
In addition, some clean energy technologies can only be derived from China's huge market demand, such as carbon capture and carbon storage technologies in the coal industry, clean thermal power technologies, coalbed methane development and utilization technologies, and new energy vehicle energy storage technologies.
In recent years, China has launched the carbon trading mechanism and formulated carbon peak and carbon neutral targets. The carbon market space has suddenly increased, bringing unlimited business opportunities to the international carbon market.
Finally, international energy cooperation should be established on the basis of mutual respect and learning, especially respect for the strategic arrangements made by different countries in promoting the energy transition, and learn from each other on the basis of mutual recognition.
(Finish)
On October 23, 2019, people visited the sand table of the biomass energy green recycling ecological industry project.
Recently, the "2019 Energy Revolution Exhibition" was exhibited at the China (Taiyuan) Coal Trading Center in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province.
The exhibition focuses on displaying the achievements of China's energy revolution and advanced technologies for the development of international energy transition.
About the interviewee:
Zhang Bo is a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Economics and Management of Shanxi University, and the executive director of the Green Development Research Center, a key humanities and social science base in Shanxi Province.
The research direction is the study of the socialist economic theory with Chinese characteristics, and the green transformation of the resource-based economy.
Located in Shanxi, a large coal province, Zhang Bo has been paying attention to and researching topics such as industrial transformation and carbon emission reduction in resource areas for many years. He is familiar with macroeconomic policies and has certain research on industrial development in east and west resource areas. He presided over the participation in "Shanxi Participation in Carbon Emission Trading Research on Key Issues, Research on the Compilation of Climate Change Adaptation Programs in Shanxi Province, Research on the Impact of the Unified Carbon Market on the Competitiveness of Key Industries in Shanxi Province, Research on the Evaluation Index System of Green Development in Mineral Resource-intensive Regions, and dozens of national and provincial levels Research projects.