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| 1 |
ID:
137673
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| Summary/Abstract |
In 2013, China׳s national government abandoned its previous cautious policy and started to promote large-scale deployment of coal-based synthetic natural gas (SNG). Coal-based SNG is both carbon-intensive and very water-intensive. Driven by a smog crisis and the recession of coal industry, China׳s 2013 policy change is major setback in its long-term efforts in carbon mitigation and water conservation. The government of China made the policy change before the commercial commencement of China׳s first SNG demonstration plant. Since the commencement of China׳s SNG demonstration plant, many problems have started to appear. In this article, I discuss the nature of demonstration project and explain the danger in starting a crash program without evaluating the demonstration comprehensively and transparently.
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| 2 |
ID:
116991
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2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Since China decontrolled coal prices, its coal price has risen steadily and been unusually volatile. In 2011 in particular, high coal prices and capped electricity prices in China discouraged coal-fired power generation, triggering widespread power shortages. We suggest that these coal-price disturbances could be symptomatic of a major change in pricing dynamics of global fossil-fuel markets, with increasing correspondence between coal and oil prices globally. Historically, global coal prices have been more stable and lower than oil and natural gas prices on a per-heat basis. In recent years, however, coal prices have been increasingly volatile worldwide and have tracked other fossil fuel prices more closely. Meanwhile, the recent development of unconventional gas has substantially decoupled US natural gas and oil prices. Technically, low US natural gas prices, with potential fuel switching, could drive US domestic coal prices lower. However, this effect is unlikely to counteract the overall trend in increasing coal consumption globally. China's market size and unique, partially-controlled energy system make its reform agenda a key force in the global economy. Policymakers in the US, E.U. and elsewhere should monitor China's economic reform agenda to anticipate and respond to changes accompanying China's increasing importance in the global energy economy.
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| 3 |
ID:
111394
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2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
For more than a decade, Nobel laureate George Olah and coworkers have advocated the Methanol Economy - replacing petroleum-based fuels and chemicals with methanol and methanol-derivatives - as a path to sustainable development. A first step to this vision appears to be occurring in China. In the past five years, China has quickly built an industry of coal-based methanol and dimethyl ether (DME) that is competitive in price with petroleum-based fuels. Methanol fuels offer many advantages, including a high octane rating and cleaner-burning properties than gasoline. Methanol also has some disadvantages. A coal-based Methanol Economy could enhance water shortages in China, increase net carbon dioxide emissions, and add volatility to regional and global coal prices. China's rapidly expanding Methanol Economy provides an interesting experiment for what could happen elsewhere if methanol is widely adopted, as proposed by Olah and researchers before him.
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| 4 |
ID:
105723
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2011.
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| Summary/Abstract |
China is quickly building up its nuclear power capacity while the hailed nuclear renaissance in the United States has been largely stagnant. The political and industrial structures explain the divergent paths. This paper draws lessons from the French experiences in deploying nuclear power and uses the lessons in comparing Chinese and U.S. policies. An authoritative political system and state-owned utility industry allow China to emulate the French approaches such as government-backed financing and broad-scale deployment with standardized design. The democratic political system and fragmented utility industry, and the laissez-faire ideology in the United States, on the other hand, are unfavorable to a nuclear renaissance. The prospect of a nuclear revival in the United States remains highly uncertain.
As China builds up its nuclear industry, it will be able to reduce carbon emissions without a carbon price through a national plan to deploy low-carbon nuclear electricity, while the United States cannot implement a climate policy without a carbon price. American politicians should stop using China's lack of carbon cap as an excuse for postponing the legislation of a carbon price.
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| 5 |
ID:
124304
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2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
China has made improving the thermal efficiencies of its coal-fired power plants a national priority. Official data show that the average thermal efficiency was enhanced from 31.3% in 2000 to 33.2% in 2005 and 36.9% in 2010. This paper aims to assess the validity of China's claimed improvement, examine major responsible factors, and identify future improvement opportunities. Recognizable factors can account for about 80% of the reported progress in the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) and about 85% in the 11th (2006-2010) to largely verify the reported progress. Engineering approaches-especially replacing inefficient power units with more efficient ones-are the largest contributing factors, while optimization approaches-particularly electricity dispatch-remains inefficient in China. In 2010, the explainable efficiency improvement might have avoided around 500 million tons of CO2 emissions. In comparison, although the United States was fairly static with most of its coal-fired power plants seriously outdated, it has more efficient electricity dispatch. In China's ongoing 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), better dispatch patterns could be more important as opportunities for improvement through engineering approaches have been largely exhausted.
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| 6 |
ID:
096632
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2010.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Grid parity-reducing the cost of solar energy to be competitive with conventional grid-supplied electricity-has long been hailed as the tipping point for solar dominance in the energy mix. Such expectations are likely to be overly optimistic. A realistic examination of grid parity suggests that the cost-effectiveness of distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems may be further away than many are hoping for. Furthermore, cost-effectiveness may not guarantee commercial competitiveness. Solar hot water technology is currently far more cost-effective than photovoltaic technology and has already reached grid parity in many places. Nevertheless, the market penetration of solar water heaters remains limited for reasons including unfamiliarity with the technologies and high upfront costs. These same barriers will likely hinder the adoption of distributed solar photovoltaic systems as well. The rapid growth in PV deployment in recent years is largely policy-driven and such rapid growth would not be sustainable unless governments continue to expand financial incentives and policy mandates, as well as address regulatory and market barriers.
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| 7 |
ID:
097470
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