Source: National Development and Reform Commission's Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction

Deploying ten major actions around key areas and key industries

Increasing efforts to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions (policy interpretation)

　　Recently, the State Council issued the "Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Emission Reduction in 2024-2025" (hereinafter referred to as the "Action Plan"). An official from the National Development and Reform Commission answered reporters' questions on the Action Plan.

　　Q: Please introduce the background and significance of the Action Plan.

　　A: Energy conservation and carbon emission reduction are important measures to promote carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and to accelerate the green transformation of the development model. Since the "14th Five-Year Plan", various regions and relevant departments have deeply implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, implemented the comprehensive conservation strategy, improved the control of the total amount and intensity of energy consumption, and made significant achievements in promoting energy conservation and carbon emission reduction. Preliminary calculations show that in the first three years of the "14th Five-Year Plan", after deducting the energy consumption of raw materials and the consumption of non-fossil energy, the national energy consumption intensity has been reduced by about 7.3%, saving about 340 million tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 900 million tons while ensuring the energy demand for high-quality development. However, at the same time, affected by factors such as the COVID-19 epidemic, the reduction of national energy consumption intensity is still lagging behind the schedule, and the situation of energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in some regions is relatively severe. The task of completing the binding targets for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction set in the "14th Five-Year Plan" Outline is still arduous.

　　Aiming at the energy conservation and carbon emission reduction targets and tasks of the "14th Five-Year Plan", and increasing efforts to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with relevant parties, drafted the "Action Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Emission Reduction in 2024-2025", which was approved by the State Council's executive meeting and recently issued by the State Council.

　　Q: What work targets and key tasks are proposed in the Action Plan?

　　A: Based on a comprehensive review, systematic analysis, and in-depth calculation, the Action Plan proposes specific targets for reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP, reducing carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP, reducing energy consumption per unit of added value in large-scale industries, the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption, and the amount of energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in key areas and industries.

　　The Action Plan deploys ten major actions for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction around key areas and industries such as energy, industry, construction, transportation, public institutions, and energy-using equipment.

　　First, action to reduce and replace fossil energy consumption. Strengthen the clean and efficient use of coal, promote the low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired power plants. Strictly implement the total amount control of coal consumption in key areas for air pollution control, and focus on reducing non-power coal consumption. Optimize the oil and gas consumption structure, and accelerate the large-scale development of unconventional oil and gas resources.

　　Second, action to increase non-fossil energy consumption. Increase the development of non-fossil energy and improve the power grid's ability to absorb renewable energy. Vigorously develop energy storage, microgrids, virtual power plants, and vehicle-grid interaction. Strengthen the connection between green certificate trading and energy conservation and carbon emission reduction policies, and vigorously promote the consumption of non-fossil energy.

　　Third, action for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in the steel industry. Strengthen the control of steel production capacity and output, deepen the adjustment of steel product structure, vigorously promote the recycling of scrap steel, and support the development of electric arc furnace short-process steelmaking. Accelerate energy-saving and carbon-reducing transformation, and strengthen the demonstration application of hydrogen metallurgy and other low-carbon smelting technologies.

　　Fourth, action for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in the petrochemical industry. Strengthen the rigid constraints of the petrochemical industry planning and layout, and reasonably control the scale of production capacity. Implement energy system optimization, promote advanced technologies and energy-saving equipment, and accelerate the energy-saving and carbon-reducing transformation and process reengineering of the petrochemical industry.

　　Fifth, action for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in the non-ferrous metals industry. Optimize the production capacity layout of the non-ferrous metals industry and vigorously develop the recycled metal industry. Strictly control the energy efficiency and environmental protection access of new projects, and promote the energy-saving and carbon-reducing transformation and energy-using equipment updates of existing projects.

　　Sixth, action for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in the building materials industry. Strictly implement the policy of replacing production capacity for cement and flat glass, strictly control the access of new building materials projects, and vigorously develop green building materials. Optimize the energy consumption structure of the building materials industry and promote the low-carbon substitution of raw materials.

　　Seventh, action for building energy conservation and carbon emission reduction. Accelerate the transformation of construction methods, strictly implement mandatory standards for building energy conservation and carbon emission reduction, and promote the use of green and low-carbon building materials. Combined with urban renewal actions and the renovation of old residential areas, accelerate the promotion of building energy efficiency renovation. Strengthen building operation management.

　　Eighth, action for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in transportation. Promote the construction of low-carbon transportation infrastructure and improve the electrification level of energy consumption in transportation hubs and stations. Promote the low-carbon transformation of transportation equipment, accelerate the development of multimodal transport, and promote clean transportation in key industries.

　　Ninth, action for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in public institutions. Strictly implement the evaluation and assessment of energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in public institutions, and explore the system of energy consumption quota budget. Implement energy conservation and carbon emission reduction transformation and energy-using equipment updates in public institutions, and promote the reduction and replacement of coal consumption.

　　Tenth, action for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in energy-using products and equipment. Improve the advanced level of energy efficiency, energy saving, and access level of key energy-using products and equipment, promote the updating and upgrading of key energy-using equipment, and accelerate the energy conservation and carbon emission reduction transformation of data centers. Strengthen the recycling of waste products and equipment.

　　The Action Plan puts forward specific requirements for improving the energy conservation and carbon emission reduction management mechanism in five aspects: evaluation and assessment, energy conservation review, energy conservation and carbon emission reduction management of key energy-using units, energy conservation supervision, and statistical accounting.

　　Q: How to promote the effective implementation of the tasks of the Action Plan?

　　A: The Action Plan proposes six aspects of work measures to support the implementation of energy conservation and carbon emission reduction targets and tasks.

　　First, improve the system and standards. Promote the revision of laws and regulations such as the Energy Conservation Law, the Measures for Energy Conservation Review of Fixed Asset Investment Projects, the Measures for Energy Conservation Management of Key Energy-Using Units, and the Measures for Energy Conservation Supervision. Combined with promoting large-scale equipment updates and the trade-in of consumer goods, accelerate the formulation and revision of mandatory energy efficiency standards, and expand the coverage.

　　Second, improve price policies. Improve the energy price mechanism, deepen the market-oriented reform of new energy grid-connected electricity prices, and study and improve the energy storage price mechanism. Comprehensively consider factors such as energy consumption and environmental protection performance, and improve the tiered electricity price system for high energy-consuming industries. Deepen the reform of heating metering and charging, and orderly promote the two-part tariff for heating.

　　Third, strengthen financial support. Give play to the leading and magnifying effect of government investment, promote the expansion of effective investment, and support energy-saving and carbon-reducing transformation and the updating of energy-using equipment. Implement favorable fiscal and tax policies for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction, enrich green financial products and services, and provide support for qualified energy conservation and carbon emission reduction projects.

　　Fourth, strengthen technological leadership. Promote the technological breakthroughs and application of key common technologies for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction, and deepen the construction of demonstration projects for green and low-carbon advanced technologies. Revise and issue a catalog of green technology promotion, and actively cultivate energy efficiency "leaders" in key energy-using products and equipment, key industries, and public institutions.

　　Fifth, improve market-oriented mechanisms. Actively promote the "one-stop" comprehensive energy-saving service model. Promote the paid use and trading of energy rights. Steadily expand the coverage of the national carbon market and improve the carbon emission quota allocation mechanism. Orderly promote the voluntary emission reduction trading market for greenhouse gases and accelerate the construction of the green certificate trading market.

　　Sixth, implement a nationwide campaign to enhance public awareness and action regarding energy conservation and carbon reduction. Improve media and public supervision systems to foster a new atmosphere where everyone participates in energy conservation and carbon reduction at all times and in all matters.