Energy Efficiency
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: China Closes Highly Polluting Plants
Posted by Deborah Seligsohn on Aug 11, 2010
The big news this week is that China is removing outdated equipment from another 2000 plants, and they are moving quite rapidly – the equipment is to be phased out by the end of September. These closures are part of the tougher measures Premier Wen Jiabao announced in April. While some have expressed skepticism about this move, because equipment rather than whole factories are being phased out, in fact, this looks to be a positive move. While China has made significant efficiency advances by closing whole factories, there is a limit to how many such highly inefficient factories actually exist. As the very oldest, least efficient have been phased out, more sophisticated policies that pinpoint problematic equipment are needed.
Erica Downs
Erica S. Downs is a Fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution. Previously, she worked as an energy analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, an analyst at the RAND Corporation, and a lecturer at the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing, China. She holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. from Princeton University and a B.S. from Georgetown University.
The Brookings Institution
edowns@brookings.edu
(202) 797-6498
ChinaFAQs: Industrial Energy Efficiency Cooperation
Posted by ChinaFAQs on Jun 2, 2010
Why is Industrial Energy So Important in China?
China’s energy use more than quadrupled from 1980 to 2007 (see Fig. 1), and continues to grow, due in part to the demands of urbanization (i.e. construction of new buildings and infrastructure), and in part to rising production of manufactured goods.i Although China has not yet reached the energy consumption level of the U.S, China nonetheless – due to a more polluting fuel mix – recently surpassed the U.S. in energy-related CO2 emissions.ii
Energy Consumption by Major End-Use Sector in China (1980-2007) and the U.S. (2007)
Posted by ChinaFAQs on Jun 2, 2010
China’s energy use more than quadrupled from 1980 to 2007 (see Fig. 1), and continues to grow, due in part to the demands of urbanization (i.e. construction of new buildings and infrastructure), and in part to rising production of manufactured goods.i Although China has not yet reached the energy consumption level of the U.S, China nonetheless – due to a more polluting fuel mix – recently surpassed the U.S. in energy-related CO2 emissions.ii
New Approaches to Climate Action in China: China Considers Carbon Tax Proposals
Posted by Deborah Seligsohn on May 14, 2010
The concept of a carbon tax is receiving more and more attention in China, and there are even some formal proposals floating around the government. It was discussed by Jiang Kejun of China’s Energy Research Institute at the recent China Green Enterprise Forum and our network expert Bo Shen of the Lawrence Berkeley National Labs alerted us that both the Chinese and English versions of a newspaper article on the subject have now appeared on the National Development and Reform Commission’s (NDRC) climate change website. The Chinese article gives more detail than the English article and quotes unnamed officials from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the State Tax Bureau as well.
Stephanie Ohshita
Stephanie Ohshita works on energy-based strategies for multiple environmental problems—from local air pollution to global climate change—combining engineering with tools from political economy and organizational analysis. Her research examines: policy design and implementation; energy efficiency (industrial, city-wide); international cooperation mechanisms; city-level climate action; diffusion of clean and efficient technology; emissions inventories; and risk management.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory SBOhshita@lbl.gov (510) 486-5062
Local Officials Pressured to Turn Around Poor Showing in Energy Intensity Numbers
Posted by Deborah Seligsohn on May 7, 2010
This week China held its second high-level discussion in two weeks on implementing its energy intensity target at the same time as disappointing first quarter numbers appeared showing that energy intensity has risen by 3.2% in the first quarter of 2010. Premier Wen Jiabao told provincial officials to use “an iron hand” in implementing energy intensity targets. This comes in the wake of last weeks’ announcement of eight new policies to enhance implementation of the 20% energy intensity target.
ChinaFAQs: Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards
Posted by ChinaFAQs on May 4, 2010
Key Points:
- China has become one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets for household appliances, such as televisions, clothes washers and refrigerators.
- To improve the energy efficiency of these products, China has developed an array of mandatory and voluntary standards and labeling programs.
- These programs promise to significantly reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, but stepped up compliance testing and enforcement could enable China to reap even bigger gains.
- International collaboration – including with experts from the United States – has played an important part in China’s appliance efficiency efforts.
China in Major Push to Meet 20% Energy Intensity Target
Posted by Deborah Seligsohn on Apr 30, 2010
China’s State Council met Wednesday, April 28, and adopted eight new measures to try to spur the country in a final push to meet its 20% energy intensity reduction target during the 5 years from 2006 to the end of 2010. While the State Council’s decision has been reported in the international media, we found the specific measures only in the Chinese press, which we summarize:
From Earth Day to the Auto Show
Posted by Deborah Seligsohn on Apr 22, 2010
Energy efficiency is a top theme in Beijing, but so too is the allure of one’s own wheels.
Earth Day dawned cold and rainy in Beijing, but the real damper on any festive mood this year is the Yushu Earthquake, which occurred just one week ago and claimed over 2000 lives. April 21 marked a day of remembrance for the victims, and the nation also observed three minutes of silence.
Expert Blog Posts
Experts In the News
Experts
- Nathaniel Aden , World Resources Institute
- Edward Cunningham , Boston University
- Erica Downs , The Brookings Institution
- Meredydd Evans , Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Barbara Finamore , Natural Resources Defense Council
- Jerry Fletcher , West Virginia University
- Sarah Forbes , World Resources Institute
- David Fridley , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Kelly Sims Gallagher , Tufts University
- Banning Garrett , Atlantic Council
- Stephen Hammer , Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Melanie Hart , Center for American Progress
- Mikkal Herberg , The National Bureau of Asian Research
- Isabel Hilton , Chinadialogue
- Trevor Houser , Peterson Institute for International Economics
- S.T. Hsieh , Tulane University
- Angel Hsu , Yale University
- Daniel Kammen , University of California, Berkeley
- Robert Kapp , Robert A. Kapp and Associates
- Albert Keidel , Atlantic Council
- David Kline , National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Bo Kong , Johns Hopkins University
- Michael Levi , Council on Foreign Relations
- Mark Levine , Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
- Joanna Lewis , Georgetown University
- Kenneth Lieberthal , The Brookings Institution
- Haibing Ma , Worldwatch Institute
- Denise Mauzerall , Princeton University
- Irving Mintzer , Potomac Energy Fund
- Chris Nielsen , Harvard University
- Rose Niu , World Wildlife Fund
- Stephanie Ohshita , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Huei Peng , University of Michigan
- Lynn Price , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- David Pumphrey , Center for Strategic and International Studies
- JingJing Qian , Natural Resources Defense Council
- Rod Quinn , Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Luke Schoen , Tsinghua-Berkeley Inter-University Program
- Deborah Seligsohn , World Resources Institute
- Monisha Shah , National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Bo Shen , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Edward Steinfeld , Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Kevin Tu , Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Jennifer Turner , Woodrow Wilson Center
- Alex Wang , UC Berkeley Boalt Law School
- Elizabeth Wilson , University of Minnesota
- Julian Wong , Green Leap Forward
- Ailun Yang , World Resources Institute
- Zhang Xiaoquan , The Nature Conservancy
- Nan Zhou , Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Data Sources
BP Statistical Review of World Energy
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (ORNL)
China Energy Databook (LBNL)
Key China Energy Statistics 2011 (LBNL)
Climate Analysis Indicator Tool (CAIT)
Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR)
Energy Information Administration (EIA)
International Energy Agency (IEA)
The World Bank
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
