Low Carbon News in China in October 2013
It is said that the National Grain Reserve has been “polluted” by genetically modified vegetable oil
28 Oct 2013｜China
Reporters surveyed in Sichuan and Hunan Province and found that many raoeseed prop acquisition companies took advantage of legal loopholes by extensively using imported vegetable oil posing as domestic vegetable oil flow into the national reservoir. The small package rapeseed oil would be no longer non-GMO vegetable oil due to the influx of genetically modified canola into national reserve.
(Source:http://news.cjn.cn/gnxw/201310/t2371517.htm)
Combating air pollution may hurt water supplies: Experts
26 Oct 2013｜China
China’s State Council’s announced a plan last month to combat air pollution, which includes banning new coal-fired power plants in areas around Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. But some recommendations in the measure — now seemingly urgent in light of the record-setting levels of smog that recently shut down the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin — could be harmful to the country’s water supplies if carried out, experts at World Resources Institute (WRI) wrote on their website (www.WRI.org).
The Air Pollution Control Action plan calls for replacing coal with natural gases, including the conversion of coal to synthetic natural gas (SNG). But WRI’s experts said that it takes six to 10 liters of freshwater to produce one cubic meter of SNG, which would be a drain on China’s water supplies.
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-10/26/content_17059894.htm)
Sustainable development a responsibility for all
24 Oct 2013｜China
Consumers have their responsibilities and roles in sustainable development by choosing products and retailers with higher sustainability rankings, authorities said on Thursday.
By introducing sustainability standards and measurements to rank producers and suppliers,consumers can make their own choices, said Jia Feng, head of the Center for Environmental Education and Communications, under the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
(Source:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-10/24/content_17056846.htm)
Nation’s natural gas industry set for strong growth
22 Oct 2013｜China
China’s natural gas industry will continue to grow at a high speed through 2025 with clean energy-driven power generation showing increasing importance, bringing opportunities to both foreign and domestic companies.
As the economy grows and the government carries out policies to raise clean energy use, China’s natural gas demand will increase at an annual rate of 8 percent, reaching almost 400 billion cubic meters a year by 2025 when the market will become 2.5 times larger than it is today, according to an industrial white paper titled China’s Age of Gas, released on Monday by General Electric Co, a US multinational conglomerate.
It says China’s share of gas in the primary energy consumption mixture is expected to double from 4 percent at present to 8 percent in 2025 and non-hydrocarbon resources are expected to grow to 17 percent of primary energy in 2025.
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-10/22/content_17050596.htm)
Beijing hearing on behalf of all in favor of motor vehicle “parking 3 minutes then flameout”
18 Oct 2013｜China
“Stop over three minutes flameout” legislative hearings nearing completion. Final nine presenters to speak, and basically all in favor of three minutes parking stall requirements. And to make recommendations on whether such mandatory. It was suggested that step by step, regional implementation. Such as schools, hospitals and other areas first pilot. Representative also suggested to prepare the hardware as well as specific measures should be further improved.
(Source:http://news.qq.com/a/20131024/016444.htm)
Universities in Shanghai developed a PM2.5 dust purifier with removal rate of 99.97%
25 Oct 2013｜China
Yesterday, the Shanghai Education Commission launched a number of scientific breakthrough closely related to external and public health, environmental protection and scientific research: universities in Shanghai developed a PM2.5 dust purifier with removal rate of 99.97%, and portable Bluetooth formaldehyde monitor, etc., bring good news to the people life. These research results will be unveiled at the 15th China International Industry Fair.
(Source:http://news.163.com/13/1025/11/9C1ECS5Q0001124J.html)
Major pollutants emission reduction of 2013 first half is published by the Ministry of Environmental Protection
25 Oct 2013｜China
The official said that the first half has significantly increased over the emission reduction efforts, accelerate key projects, particularly the recent increase in environmental tariff incentives denitration thermal power enterprises to accelerate infrastructure construction, total new denitration unit will be more than 150 million kilowatts installed capacity , four pollutant emissions is expected to fully achieve the annual target. Environmental Protection Department recently organized for the first half of 2013 the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the total emissions of major pollutants carried out a verification of accounting. The results showed that: in 2013 half of the national total COD discharge 11,993,000 tons, drop 2.37%; ammonia emissions of 1.259 million tons, drop 2.15%; sulfur dioxide emissions 10.569 million tons, drop 2.48%; 11,675,000 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions, drop 3.02 %.(Source:http://money.163.com/13/0916/10/98ST2RJQ002526O5.html)
Air pollution birth “pollution economy.”Businessmen launched the “lung wash dishes”
24 Oct 2013｜China
Air pollution and even spawned “pollution economy,” some northern cities have businessmen launched the “lung wash dishes”, “lung wash tourism”, known by eating antioxidant foods, fruits and vegetables can make people discharged inhaled particles. Does this approach effective?
Yesterday, the reporter interviewed the Shanghai breathing, heart medicine, atmospheric environment and health experts, learned that air pollution can not only cause lung cancer, but also lead to increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. Experts said particulate matter into the lungs, must take medicine to discharge, “lung wash dishes”, “lung wash tourism” has no scientific basis, only work as a placebo.(Source:http://finance.china.com.cn/consume/kxp/20131024/1904538.shtml)
PV companies complained to build power plants need cover 20 approval, pproval standards is confusing
24 Oct 2013｜China
This year sales of PV modules does appear to increase substantially, the industry showed signs of recovery. At the same time, there are local government approval and other related aspects of the “set card” so that PV companies also suffered a “seal of pain”, “build a photovoltaic power plants now cover at least 20 chapters.” There entrepreneur says .
(Source:http://energy.people.com.cn/n/2013/1024/c71661-23315150.html)
Chaohu Lake is using one hundred billion for pollution dilemma: Project funding is difficulties and only 46.6% completion
26 Oct 2013｜China
Chaohu Lake is the fifth largest freshwater lake, located southeast of Hefei, with the total area of 800 square kilometers. This small size of the lake is famous for the repeated outbreaks of “cyanobacteria” events. Monitoring data show that Chaohu Lake is still in moderately polluted state, some indicators show worsening trend.
To improve this situation, the city plans a total investment of 14 billion yuan for the comprehensive management of Chaohu Lake. However, this project is challenging. Hefei Development and Reform Commission data show that, at present, Chaohu ecological protection and restoration of an investment project completed only 46.6% of the actual needs (planned to be 80% complete), some of the projects completed only 14-18% range – Hefei’ expectations that the water quality Chaohu Lake reached about class Ⅳ by 2018, ⅲ class standard by 2020 and restore the ecological functions it difficult to achieve.
(Source:http://money.163.com/13/1026/00/9C2SM59V00253B0H.html)
Joint efforts seen as best way forward
18 Oct 2013｜China
UK keen on Chinese investment in nuclear, offshore wind and other energy sectors, says Minister
Britain’s energy and climate change secretary Ed Davey sees great potential for cooperation between China and the UK in nuclear, offshore wind energy, pollution control and other energy sectors, and says no political barriers should come in the way.
During a recent weeklong visit to China, Davey signed a memorandum of understanding on offshore wind power with Wu Xinxiong, head of China’s National Energy Administration. The agreement is the first of its kind China has signed with another country.
(Source:http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-10/18/content_17042097.htm)
Ministry making moves to tackle mercury issue
10 Oct 2013｜China
In an effort to curb mercury pollution nationwide, an office under China’s environmentalwatchdog has launched a series of research projects. Coal-fired power plants, boilers forindustrial use, PVC production enterprises and mercury mines are major sources of mercurypollution in the country, according to research being conducted by the Foreign EconomicCooperation Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China.
(Source:http://news.bjx.com.cn/html/20131014/464943.shtml)
New-energy solutions blowing in the wind
4 Oct 2013｜China
Green development is facing a series of obstacles
More than seven years after China’s Renewable Energy Law took effect, renewable energy companies are making huge contributions to the reduction of air pollution.
The act was aimed at promoting the use of non-fossil fuel energy, but the companies, which include wind farms and biomass energy plants, are also suffering huge financial losses.
From January to July, Huaneng Taobei Wind Farm in Baicheng, Jilin province, generated 134.75 million kilowatt-hours of wind power. In the same period it lost 72.48 million kWh of unused wind power, resulting in a loss of almost 40 million yuan ($6.5 million; 4.8 million euros).
(Source:http://africa.chinadaily.com.cn/weekly/2013-10/04/content_17009504.htm)
China recognizes the importance of climate change
1 Oct 2013｜China
US academics and think tanks are applauding the latest move by California and China to strengthen low carbon development to fight climate change.
“California can work with China and serve as a model for other states and even for the Congress,”Bob Berring,a professor at UC-Berkeley, told China Daily. “Exchanges with individual cities have been largely ceremonial in the past.”
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-10/01/content_17006369.htm)