"The 13th Five-Year Plan: Optimizing and Upgrading the Energy Structure"

In 2018, China’s coal consumption share dropped below 60% for the first time in history, and the country also completed its targets for ultra-low emissions and energy-saving upgrades in coal-fired power plants two years ahead of schedule.

10 billion cubic meters—From 2017 to 2020, natural gas production increased by more than 10 billion cubic meters for four consecutive years, yielding remarkable results in boosting oil and gas reserves and output.

200 million kilowatts—In 2019, wind power and photovoltaic power generation capacity both surpassed 200 million kilowatts for the first time, marking even greater momentum in clean energy development…

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that developing clean energy is a crucial task for optimizing the energy structure, ensuring energy security, and advancing ecological civilization. Since the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China has accelerated its efforts to adjust the energy mix—reducing coal consumption, stabilizing oil and gas supplies, and significantly increasing the share of clean energy. In 2019, non-fossil fuels accounted for 15.3% of China’s primary energy consumption, accomplishing the target set by the 13th Five-Year Plan one year ahead of schedule.

——Structural optimization, diversifying the energy supply.

From May 9 to August 16 this year, State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company successfully powered the Sanjiangyuan region entirely with clean energy for 100 consecutive days, setting a new global record for all-clean-energy supply. This achievement has helped reduce coal consumption by 61,000 tons and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 166,000 tons.

Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, China’s installed capacity of renewable energy has grown by about 12% annually on average, with hydropower, wind power, and photovoltaic power all ranking first in the world. By 2019, coal-fired power accounted for 51.95% of the nation’s total installed power capacity, a decrease of 7.05 percentage points compared to 2015. Meanwhile, the energy supply system is undergoing a significant shift—from being dominated by coal toward greater diversification—while renewable energy is steadily becoming the primary source for new power installations.

Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, efforts have been made to diversify supply and optimize energy distribution. Clean energy development has shifted from resource-rich regions toward areas with concentrated energy demand, fostering a balanced approach that combines centralized and decentralized growth models. As of the end of September this year, wind power installations in central-eastern and southern China accounted for 31.2% of the nation’s total wind capacity, an increase of 1.7 percentage points compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, distributed photovoltaic systems now represent 32% of the country’s total PV capacity, up 1.2 percentage points year-on-year. Meanwhile, China’s oil and gas import infrastructure continues to improve, with steady progress made on the four major import routes—northwest, northeast, southwest, and offshore—since the start of the 13th Five-Year Plan.

——Technological innovation leads to more efficient energy use.

Step into the Guohua Sanhe Power Plant of the State Energy Group, located in Langfang City, Hebei Province, and you’ll find no towering plumes of black smoke—or any trace of pungent odors. Instead, the plant’s windows gleam brightly, and the interior is spotlessly clean. "By implementing advanced energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies in our renovation efforts, the plant has managed to reduce its annual emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides by 90.4%, 50%, and 90.9%, respectively, compared to pre-renovation levels," says Xu Xianlong, Deputy Chief Engineer of the power plant.

Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, thanks to advanced energy-saving and environmental protection technologies, coal utilization has gradually shifted toward cleaner practices—resulting in ultra-low emission coal-fired power units reaching 890 million kilowatts, accounting for 86% of China’s total coal-fired capacity. As a result, our country has established the world’s largest clean coal-power supply system.

Meanwhile, as technological innovation accelerates, China's renewable energy generation efficiency continues to improve, its development scope keeps expanding, and its economic viability has significantly enhanced. From 2016 to 2019, renewable energy generation grew by an average of about 10% annually, increasing its share of the nation's total electricity generation from 25.7% to 27.9%. Wind power, photovoltaics, and other renewable energy sources have essentially reached price parity with traditional energy sources like coal-fired power.

At the Longyuan Power Anhui Longhu Wind Farm, each turbine is equipped with more than 100 sensors, giving them a sensitive "sense of touch" that allows them to quickly detect conditions such as wind speed, temperature, and vibration. Chen Feng, the director of the Longhu Wind Farm, told reporters that thanks to the intelligent IoT operating system, the turbines can now perform functions like fault prediction and performance alerts. "Under the same wind-speed conditions," he added, "annual power generation can increase by over 3 million kilowatt-hours, while operational costs are reduced by more than 7 million yuan."

——Alternative energy accelerates, and clean energy adoption becomes more widespread.

Under the glow of the setting sun, rows of photovoltaic panels blanket the roof of the Xiong'an Station on the Beijing-Xiong'an Intercity Railway, shimmering like rippling water. The energy collected by the photovoltaic rooftop can meet 20% of the station's electricity needs.

Green buildings, green transportation, clean heating… Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, new approaches to clean energy utilization have been widely promoted, continuously driving the transformation and upgrading of China’s energy sector.

Green transportation is accelerating its development. China has ranked first globally in new-energy vehicle sales for five consecutive years, with cumulative sales exceeding 4.8 million units—accounting for more than half of the global total. As of the end of October this year, China boasts a total of 1.498 million charging piles of various types, making it the country with the largest number of public charging stations worldwide.

"Phasing out coal and switching to gas is steadily advancing. A few years ago, cleaning the stove and sweeping out the ashes would leave your hands and face covered in soot—but now that we’ve switched to natural gas, there’s no more need to endure the heat, and even our brand-new cotton jackets remain intact!" A senior citizen living in Bazhou City, Hebei Province, cheerfully recited this little rhyme when talking about the "gas-for-coal" initiative. Since 2017, China has been promoting coal-to-gas, coal-to-electricity, and renewable energy heating solutions tailored to local conditions in rural areas across northern China. As a result, the clean heating adoption rate in key regions has already reached 71%.

Recently, China announced that it will implement more robust policies and measures to strive for peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Construction of the Baihetan Hydropower Station is being accelerated, shale oil and gas exploration and development are gaining momentum, clean fuel sources are being diversified, and domestic nuclear power projects are picking up speed. Meanwhile, breakthroughs are steadily emerging in technologies for harnessing geothermal and biomass energy. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient utilization of energy will continue to advance, paving the way for the gradual realization of a beautiful new vision for China!