Environmental Engineering Reference
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tonnes or about 96.8 million tonnes Coal Equivalent (tce), and the stalks consump-
tion was 378.5 million tonnes or ca. 177.9 tce. Yet it has been stated that firewood
consumption directly causes air pollution (DITSSSB and EBNDRC 2007). An-
other big challenge is to balance the rural energy development between Eastern
China and Western China. In the rural area of western China, residences are
widely lacking energy provision. Comparatively speaking, the eastern and middle
parts of China are better off, but still in need of improvement, especially in the ru-
ral and poor areas.
24
China
US
World
20
16
12
8
4
0
80
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
00
02
04
Fig. 11.6. Per capita CO 2 emissions from the consumption and flaring of fossil fuels of
China, US and the World (Data source: EIA 2008)
11.3.2 Main Problems
China is also facing a lot of problems related to energy production and consump-
tion (DICC 2007). In general, the main problems can be summarized as an out-
dated energy structure, inefficient energy consumption, poor energy policy sys-
tem, imperfect market system, low energy technology, as well as low energy
saving awareness. These are subsequently discussed in detail.
a) Outdated Energy Structure
Energy structure herein refers to the configurations of energy supply and con-
sumption among different socio-economic sectors. With respect to energy compo-
sition, coal is the main source, sharing more than 70% of the total annual average
from 1978 to 2007. In developed countries, coal accounts for around 21% of en-
ergy consumed. Figure 11.7 displays energy supply and consumption composition
in 2007. Coal consumption is a main source of air pollution (IOSCC 2007). It was
 
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