MNI BRIEF: China To Limit Coal, Build New Power Network - NDRC

China will strictly control growth in coal consumption and the efficiency of its use as policymakers target a peak in carbon emissions, Zhao Chenxin, deputy director at the National Development and Reform Commission told the Boao Forum for Asia on Wednesday.

The senior official at China’s macroeconomic planer said the building of a new power system was needed to “lay a solid foundation for energy security”. China plans to boost renewable energy through large-scale wind and solar photovoltaic power, with 450 million kilowatts located in the desert. The green and low-carbon transition is a robust driver for economic growth, he said.

However, China faces a challenge to meet its peak emissions goal at a time when European countries have restarted coal power last year due to energy shortages, while wind power and photovoltaic power are not stable, he said.