This undated file photo shows a wind power field in the countryside of Turpan, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. (WANG FEI / XINHUA)

BEIJING - China has implemented a strategy of innovation-driven development in its energy sector to address major issues and challenges such as energy resource constraints and climate change, according to a white paper released Monday.

The country has been improving the top-level design for energy policies relating to scientific and technological innovation, and making strategic plans for sci-tech development of the resources and energy industry till 2035, according to a white paper, titled Energy in China's New Era, released by the State Council Information Office.

China has created a number of high-standard platforms for technological innovation in the field, including more than 40 key national laboratories and a group of national engineering research centers that focus on research into technologies for safe, green and intelligent coal mining, highly efficient use of renewable energy, energy storage, and decentralized energy systems, according to the document.

The white paper was released to provide a full picture of the country's achievements in energy development and major policies and measures for energy reform

It has also built more than 80 national energy research and development centers and key national energy laboratories for research in the key areas of coal, oil, natural gas, coal-fired power, nuclear power, renewable energy and energy equipment, all of which cover the vital and frontier areas of energy innovation.

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The country has implemented major scientific and technological initiatives and projects in the sector, planning or carrying out research into fields including new energy vehicles, smart grid as well as clean and efficient use of coal and new energy-saving technology, according to the white paper.

It has also accelerated the upgrading of conventional energy technologies and equipment, while supporting new business forms and models in this sector, according to the white paper.

The white paper was released to provide a full picture of the country's achievements in energy development and major policies and measures for energy reform.

The main body of the white paper is divided into seven sections: developing high-quality energy in the new era, historic achievements in energy development, an all-round effort to reform energy consumption, building a clean and diversified energy supply system, leveraging the role of innovation as the primary driver of development, deeper reform of the energy system in all areas, strengthening international energy cooperation across the board.  

New energy security strategy

China has adopted a new energy security strategy, vowing to promote reforms in energy supply and consumption, market building and innovation while strengthening international cooperation, according to the white paper.

The strategy, which endeavors to adapt to domestic and international changes and meet new requirements, involves introducing reforms in four aspects: to improve energy consumption structure, to diversity energy supply, to upgrade energy technologies, and to promote faster growth of the energy sector. 

In the white paper, China stated the guiding policies of the nation's energy policies in the new era, namely, putting people first, promoting the use of clean and low-carbon energy, ensuring the core status of innovation, pursuing development through reform and building a global community of shared future.

"Confronted by the severe impact of climate change, China advocates a global community of shared future, greater international cooperation on energy governance, and a new round of energy reform directed towards clean and low-carbon development," reads the document. 

"In the new era, China's energy strategy will provide forceful support for sound and sustained economic and social development, and make a significant contribution to ensuring world energy security, addressing global climate change, and boosting global economic growth," the white paper reads.

Further opening of energy sector

China is committed to a stable global energy market and is further opening its energy sector to the world, according to the white paper.

The country has greatly eased market access for foreign investment, and built a market-based international business environment that respects the rule of law to facilitate free trade and investment.

The country has adopted pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list, and has lifted the restrictions for foreign investments to enter the sectors of coal, oil, gas, electricity which excludes nuclear power, and new energy, according to the document.

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China is also promoting the energy industry in pilot free trade zones such as Guangdong, Hubei, Chongqing and Hainan, and supports further opening up of the entire oil and gas sector in the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone, according to the white paper.

BRI energy cooperation

China has been promoting energy cooperation among partners participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), upholding the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, according to the white paper.

Through such cooperation, China pursues open, green and clean governance towards high-standard, people-centered and sustainable goals, according to the white paper.

In 2019, China established Belt and Road energy partnerships with 30 countries, according to the document

In 2019, China established Belt and Road energy partnerships with 30 countries, according to the document. 

The wide application of renewable energy technologies in the Chinese market is helping to reduce the cost of renewable energy and accelerate the green transition process across the globe.

With a batch of landmark energy projects such as China-Russia, China-Central Asia and China-Myanmar oil and gas pipelines brought into operation and China's power grids connected to the grids of seven neighboring countries, China has given a strong boost to energy infrastructure connectivity and realized optimal allocation of energy resources on a larger scale, which facilitates economic cooperation within the region, according to the white paper.

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Non-fossil development

China gives priority to non-fossil energy and strives to substitute low-carbon for high-carbon energy and renewable for fossil energy, according to the white paper.

The country has been facilitating the use of solar energy, developing wind power, hydropower as well as safe and structured nuclear power while advancing biomass, geothermal and ocean energy development in accordance with local conditions.

Preliminary calculations showed that in 2019, the consumption of clean energy (natural gas, hydropower, nuclear power, wind power) accounted for 23.4 percent of total energy consumption, an increase of 8.9 percentage points over 2012, and non-fossil energy accounted for 15.3 percent of total energy consumption, up 5.6 percentage points against 2012.

“With this China has reached the target of raising the share of non-fossil energy to 15 percent in total energy consumption by 2020," reads the white paper.

While prioritizing non-fossil energy,China has also been promoting the clean and efficient development and utilization of fossil energy

While prioritizing non-fossil energy, the country has also been promoting the clean and efficient development and utilization of fossil energy.

"Green development of the energy sector has played an important role in reducing carbon emissions," reads the white paper.

By 2019, carbon emission intensity in China had decreased by 48.1 percent compared with 2005, which exceeded the target of reducing carbon emission intensity by 40 to 45 percent between 2005 and 2020, reversing the trend of rapid carbon dioxide emission growth, according to the document.

China will scale up its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions by adopting more vigorous policies and measures, striving to have carbon dioxide emissions peak before 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

Sustainable global energy development

Meanwhile, China proposes that the international community work together on the sustainable development of global energy, address the challenges of climate change, and build a cleaner and more beautiful world.

Joints efforts should be made to consolidate multilateral energy cooperation to accelerate the green economic recovery and growth, China said in the white paper, adding that countries should strengthen transnational and cross-regional innovation on clean-energy and low-carbon technologies, and cooperation on technology standards, to promote energy technology transfer and rollout and improve international intellectual property rights (IPR) protection.

In the white paper, China called for efforts on jointly facilitating international investment in energy trading to protect global market stability.

To that end, countries should eliminate energy trade and investment barriers, facilitate trade and investment, cooperate on energy resources, industrial capacity and infrastructure, improve connectivity, and promote efficient resource allocation and greater market integration, according to the white paper.

READ MORE: Full text of China's white paper on energy development

Meanwhile, energy access in underdeveloped areas should be improved to address energy poverty, according to the white paper.

Targeted poverty alleviation

Calling energy an important impetus for poverty alleviation, China has introduced major energy projects in poverty-stricken areas to facilitate energy exploitation and add new momentum to local economy, according to the document.

By the end of 2015, China had achieved full electricity coverage for its entire population.

China has given priority to energy development projects in old revolutionary bases, ethnic minority areas, border areas and poor areas, and built power transmission bases for sending surplus clean electricity to other parts of China, contributing significantly to local economic growth.

Poverty alleviation through solar photovoltaic power generation is one of the top 10 targeted poverty alleviation projects in China. Since 2014, the country has promoted various solar photovoltaic poverty alleviation projects funded by the government and implemented by enterprises. The coutnry has built solar photovoltaic power stations with a total capacity of 26.36 million kW for this purpose, benefiting nearly 60,000 poor villages and 4.15 million poor households.