As the world's two major energy consumers, what are the prospects for China and the United States in the field of energy cooperation? Recently, at the "China Corner" side event of the Global Climate Action Summit held in San Francisco, California, China and US experts shared the prospects of cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency and utilization.
Data map: Wind power base in Habahe County, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang. Liu is He Photo
Cooperation is necessary
As the world's top two economies, China and the United States have played a very important role in promoting the development of clean energy.
As early as 2015 at the Paris Climate Conference, China proposed that carbon dioxide emissions will peak at around 2030 and strive to achieve it as soon as possible. In 2030, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will fall by 60% to 65% compared with 2005, and non-fossil energy accounts for one time. The proportion of energy consumption is around 20%.
Amory Lovins, chairman and chief scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute, pointed out at the summit that in 2015, 18 states in the United States proposed a carbon emission reduction roadmap, in which California plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17% by 2020. The amount is such that it reaches 1990 levels (431 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions) and at least 33% of electricity is generated through renewable resources.
According to Xu Huaqing, director of the China National Center for Climate Change Strategy Research and International Cooperation, China and the United States have good mechanisms and platforms for energy cooperation. I believe that through the joint efforts and promotion of people of insight from both sides, through energy conversion. Can make greater contributions to the world climate cause.
Data map: aerial photography of photovoltaic power plants. Zhao Chunliang
Cooperation has space
Emory believes that the United States, especially California and China, has a huge space for cooperation in the energy field: first, to achieve the planned carbon emission targets through cooperation as soon as possible; second, to reach some consensus on green building standards; third, to promote in the transportation field The use of new energy; the fourth is to increase the proportion of clean energy consumption in the power industry.
"China's cooperation with the United States and many countries around the world will promote the transformation of China's and the world's energy structure and achieve sustainable energy development." Zhao Yuqing, deputy director of the Guangzhou Institute of Energy Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences pointed out that China's future energy structure needs to change, zero. The proportion of carbon and low-carbon energy will increase. This means that China's demand for clean energy will increase.
California has some experience in promoting clean energy. California Public Utilities Commissioner Cliff Rechtschaffen said that California introduced some renewable energy policies in the 1970s. For example, it is stipulated that the proportion of renewable energy in power generation should meet certain standards; the regulations on pollution discharges will force people to use clean energy; and the photovoltaic enterprises can enjoy certain tax benefits.
China’s work in developing clean energy has also been praised by American experts. "China has made a lot of contributions to the decline in solar and wind power prices," Cliff said. Former US Secretary of Energy and Professor of Stanford University Zhu Yiwen believes that China has very good solar power, hydropower and wind power resources. In the future, China will increase the proportion of clean energy use and lead the global clean energy development.
Cooperation has prospects
According to Robert Weisenmiller, president of the California Energy Commission, California and China have broad prospects for cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency and utilization. In 2017, the two sides agreed to establish a clean technology partnership. At the summit, California and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment signed a memorandum on cooperation on climate change and ecological environment protection.
From the perspective of energy policy, China's "13th Five-Year Plan" and the 19th National Congress report pointed out that in the future China will promote the energy revolution and build a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system. California is also committed to the development of clean energy. From this perspective, China and California have a good foundation for cooperation in the innovation and application of clean technologies.
It is worth mentioning that at the summit, Chinese and California experts mentioned that “renewable energy + energy storage” is an inevitable choice for future new energy development. Therefore, strengthening the research of advanced energy storage technologies and promoting the development of energy storage industry are of great significance to promoting the change of energy production and utilization methods in China and California.
