China to develop high-quality new energy in new era

The State Council released a circular on the implementation plan to promote the high-quality development of new energy in the new era, drawn up by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, on May 30.

The plan is aimed at accelerating the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and highly efficient energy system, and realizing the goal that by 2030, the total installed electricity capacity of wind and solar power will reach 1.2 billion kilowatts.

Innovative new energy exploitation and utilization models will be explored, according to the plan. To that end, China will focus on building major wind power and photovoltaic power stations in desert areas, integrate new energy exploitation and utilization with rural revitalization, promote new energy application in industry and construction sectors, and guide the whole society to consume green energy.

A new electricity system adapting to increasingly high proportion of new energy will be built, the circular said, with an emphasis on efforts to facilitate the power distribution network to accommodate distributed new energy.

More administrative reforms were urged in the field of new energy, such as higher efficiency in project approvals, optimized procedures for new energy projects to connect to the power grid and better public services system.

China will support the healthy and orderly development of the new energy industry, and secure reasonable space for its development by improving management rules on land for new energy projects, the circular said.

To fully engage the ecological protection benefits of new energy, the country will actively promote new energy projects that are good for ecological restoration and improve the rural living environment.

Related fiscal and financial policies will also be set up to support new energy development, according to the circular.