Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
tory frameworks, have also contributed to people, companies, organization failing
to save on energy.
Within the Market context, China has established an energy market, but it is
still not perfect. The market energy price did not reflect the energy scarcity, rela-
tions between demand and supply, benefits of different users and stakeholders.
Therefore, nobody had incentive to consume energy efficiently.
Within the Technology context, China's productivity was 398 tonnes per year
per person, and mechanization level only 45% in 2005 (Jiang 2008). Comparing
this techno-economic index, for example, USA's productivity was 13,849 tonnes
per year per person, and mechanization level was 100%, in 2004. However, as for
energy efficiency, cement, fertilizers, iron and steel, and aluminium industries in
China consume per product unit about 20%-30% more energy than in developed
countries (Ni 2007).
11.4 Energy Strategies for Amendment
Faced with these challenges and problems, which strategies China should adopt?
Energy industry comprises a large, complex and interconnected system, which is
related to different socio-economic aspects: population, resources, environment,
culture, industry, agriculture, household life, technology, transportation, military,
politics etc. Therefore, energy strategies should be comprehensive and consider all
the interconnected aspects. In this part, five important macro strategies are pro-
posed, which can be expressed as embodying reasonable structure, high effi-
ciency, diversified development and less pollution, functioning market and
friendly international cooperation. These proposals remain open to empirical con-
firmation, and at this stage, are intended to ignite debate.
11.4.1 Adjusting the Current Energy Structure
The outdated and unsuitable energy supply and consumption structure is one of
the main subjective reasons for insufficient energy supply and pollution. There-
fore, it is vital to adjust the current energy structure in China. Firstly, China should
invest more in hydro-power, nuclear power and wind power, and develop new en-
ergy sources. Secondly, it should limit industrial energy consumption by increas-
ing industrial energy price, taxing the energy-wasting industries, and subsidizing
the energy-efficient ones.
11.4.2 Improving the Energy Consumption Efficiency
Facing huge energy demand in the future, China should not copy the historical en-
ergy-wasting development styles of developed countries. It should consider energy
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