Greener Structure, Stronger Resilience, Newer System: China's Energy Development Achieves Historic Accomplishments

　　[Promoting High-Quality Development · Authoritative Release]

　　Energy is an important material foundation and source of power for economic and social development, and is vital to the national economy, people's livelihood, and national security. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to energy work. In June 2014, he proposed the new energy security strategy of "Four Revolutions and One Cooperation," which provided a fundamental guideline for China's high-quality energy development in the new era.

　　"Over the past decade, we have deeply advanced the revolution in energy consumption, supply, technology, and system, comprehensively strengthened international cooperation, and achieved historic accomplishments in energy development, providing strong support for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and embarking on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects," said Zhang Jianhua, Administrator of the National Energy Administration, at the series-themed press conference on "Promoting High-Quality Development" held by the State Council Information Office on June 20.

　　Green and Low-Carbon Energy Development Reaches a New Level

　　In recent years, China's supply of non-fossil energy has accelerated. The average annual increment in the first three years of the "14th Five-Year Plan" period was 1.4 times that of the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, driving the share of non-fossil energy consumption to increase by an average of 0.7 percentage points annually, and installed non-fossil energy power generation capacity has historically surpassed thermal power.

　　"We have deeply practiced the concept of green development, fully leveraged the pulling role of consumption-side transformation, continuously optimized the energy consumption structure, and steadily brought green and low-carbon energy development to new levels," said Zhang Jianhua.

　　From 2013 to 2023, the share of coal consumption in China fell from 67.4% to 55.3%, a cumulative decrease of 12.1 percentage points, while the share of non-fossil energy consumption such as wind power, solar power, hydropower, nuclear power, and biomass increased from 10.2% to 17.9%, a cumulative increase of 7.7 percentage points. Energy use in industry, transportation, buildings, and people's daily lives has undergone profound changes. The quality of oil products achieved a "three consecutive upgrades" from National III to National VI standards, making a positive contribution to the improvement of air quality. The world's largest charging infrastructure system has been built, and the "green content" of economic development has significantly increased.

　　China's new energy power generation technology remains world-leading, and the "new three" items such as photovoltaic cells have become a "new calling card" for China's foreign trade exports. The first commercial demonstration project of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor was completed and put into operation. New models and new business forms continue to emerge: smart microgrids promote the integrated development of "source, grid, load, and storage," and virtual power plants guide power users to participate efficiently and proactively in demand response.

　　Holding the Energy Rice Bowl Firmly in Our Own Hands

　　In 2023, China's total primary energy production, including coal, oil, and gas, reached 4.83 billion tons of standard coal equivalent; currently, the country's total installed power generation capacity exceeds 3 billion kilowatts; in recent years, crude oil output has remained stable at the 200 million ton level, and natural gas output has grown by more than 10 billion cubic meters annually for seven consecutive years since 2017... Energy reserve and regulation capacity has continued to improve.

　　"We have deeply practiced the overall national security concept, focused on enhancing domestic resource production and supply capacity, held the energy rice bowl firmly in our own hands, and achieved a new leap in the level of safe and stable energy supply," said Zhang Jianhua.

　　From 2013 to 2023, China's total primary energy production grew by 35% cumulatively, raw coal production capacity continued to strengthen, crude oil output remained at the 200 million ton level, and both installed power capacity and natural gas output doubled. Installed wind power capacity grew from more than 76 million kilowatts to over 440 million kilowatts, an increase of nearly five times, while installed photovoltaic capacity grew from more than 19 million kilowatts to over 600 million kilowatts, an increase of more than 30 times. In 2023, newly installed renewable energy capacity accounted for more than half of the global total, and cumulative installed capacity accounted for nearly 40% of the global total. The west-to-east power transmission capacity exceeded 300 million kilowatts, supporting about one-fifth of the electricity demand in the eastern and central regions. The total length of long-distance oil and gas pipelines grew from more than 100,000 kilometers to 190,000 kilometers, an increase of about 80%. National per capita residential electricity consumption grew from 500 kilowatt-hours to nearly 1,000 kilowatt-hours, and the energy needs of 1.4 billion people have been effectively guaranteed.

　　Self-Reliance and Self-Strengthening in Energy Science and Technology Accelerated

　　Adhering to innovation-driven development, China has accelerated self-reliance and self-strengthening in energy science and technology, continued to promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional energy industries, focused on cultivating competitive advantages in new energy industries, and brought the modernization level of energy science and technology into the international advanced ranks.

　　The scientific and technological innovation achievements in the energy field are inspiring: third-generation pressurized water reactor nuclear power technologies such as Hualong One with independent intellectual property rights have been formed, and the world's first commercial demonstration project of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor at Shidao Bay in Shandong was completed and put into operation; new breakthroughs continue to be made in unconventional oil and gas exploration and development and in the development of heavy-duty gas turbines; technologies such as ultra-high-voltage power transmission and high-parameter coal power remain world-leading; wind power has formed a complete whole-industry-chain system from equipment manufacturing and development and construction to operation and maintenance, photovoltaic cell conversion efficiency has repeatedly set world records, and the costs of wind power and photovoltaic power generation have fallen by 60% and 80% respectively; the entire hydropower industry chain leads the world, and the Baihetan Hydropower Station, with the world's largest single-unit capacity, has been built; the industrialization of cutting-edge technologies such as new-type energy storage and hydrogen energy is accelerating...

　　By continuously deepening reform, adhering to the combination of an efficient market and a capable government, improving the energy legal system, and accelerating the construction of the energy market, China's energy governance efficiency has continued to improve, and reform in key energy fields and key links has continued to deepen. The construction of a unified national electricity market system has been accelerated, and more than 60% of total electricity consumption has been allocated through market-based trading. The oil and gas market system has taken initial shape, and the medium- and long-term coal contract system and the market price formation mechanism have been continuously improved. The dividends of energy reform continue to be released, the vitality of various business entities is bursting forth, and a strong driving force for promoting high-quality energy development has been formed.