China’s energy technology strategies focused more
on improving energy supply quality and the technologies themselves. The Chinese government
introduced technology strategies and policies for
optimising energy consumption and encouraging
the use of clean energy.
Third, the rapid expansion of China’s energy
development strategies (2004–12). In the 21st
century, China’s energy-intensive industries
developed rapidly thanks to industrialisation and
urbanisation. This resulted in soaring energy
demand and consumption. This huge change in
the energy supply-demand relationship forced the
Chinese government to rethink its energy strategies. Besides conventional exploration and
development technologies, China’s energy technology strategies now focused on industry,
transport and buildings, especially on innovating
and promoting energy-efficient technologies.
Fourth, optimising and improving energy
development comprehensively (2012–present). As
China’s economy enters its new normal of slower
growth, the country’s energy demand growth is
also slowing down. The principal objective of
energy development has shifted from meeting basic
energy supply requirements to satisfying people’s
growing need for energy to support a better life.
The energy industry is also undergoing a shift from
energy quantity growth to energy quality
improvement. It is imperative to improve energy
development quality through advanced technological innovation and widespread implementation
of the green development philosophy.
Table 17 clearly shows that China has successfully explored an energy development path
with Chinese characteristics that is comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable. Each energy
technology strategy and policy system is created
within these macro-strategies for energy
development.
7.1.2 China’s Energy Industry
and Energy Technology
Strategies and Policies Are
in Parallel and Mutually
Beneficial
China’s energy technology strategies and policies
have transitioned from a traditional planned
economy approach to a market economy system.
Policy evolution is influenced by many factors,
including national economic development strategy, the development of natural resources and
reserves, society’s demand for energy, as well as
institutional factors like China’s classification of
industries. China’s energy technology strategies
and policies run along two lines.
The first is the energy industry. Previously,
China’s energy technology strategies and policies
were mainly initiated and promoted by former
government departments like the Ministry of
Coal Industry, the Ministry of Nuclear Industry,
the Ministry of Electric Power, the Ministry of
Petroleum, the Planning Commission, the Information Commission, and the Economic and
Trade Commission. With China’s institutional
restructuring, energy technology strategies are
now developed by ministries and agencies like
the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration, the
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural
Development, and the Ministry of Transport.
For example, the State Council published Key
Points of National Energy Technology Policies
in 1986, which gave the technology policy
requirements for coal, oil, natural gas and
hydropower. These requirements included
speeding up coal development; increasing the
economic benefits of oil field development; prioritising hydropower; using oil and gas resources
reasonably and improving the way that petroleum refining and oil products are allocated;
making coal processing, combustion and conversion technologies better and improving product allocation. In the 1990s, the government
issued Outline of China’s Energy Efficiency
Technology Policies, which focused on energy
demand. Specifically, China prioritises energy
efficiency when developing energy technologies,
focusing on making research breakthroughs in
critical energy efficiency technologies for
energy-intensive industries, and guiding private
capital into energy efficiency applications.
The second is energy technology. Government departments like the Ministry of Science
and Technology (MOST) and the Ministry of
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
387
on improving energy supply quality and the technologies themselves. The Chinese government
introduced technology strategies and policies for
optimising energy consumption and encouraging
the use of clean energy.
Third, the rapid expansion of China’s energy
development strategies (2004–12). In the 21st
century, China’s energy-intensive industries
developed rapidly thanks to industrialisation and
urbanisation. This resulted in soaring energy
demand and consumption. This huge change in
the energy supply-demand relationship forced the
Chinese government to rethink its energy strategies. Besides conventional exploration and
development technologies, China’s energy technology strategies now focused on industry,
transport and buildings, especially on innovating
and promoting energy-efficient technologies.
Fourth, optimising and improving energy
development comprehensively (2012–present). As
China’s economy enters its new normal of slower
growth, the country’s energy demand growth is
also slowing down. The principal objective of
energy development has shifted from meeting basic
energy supply requirements to satisfying people’s
growing need for energy to support a better life.
The energy industry is also undergoing a shift from
energy quantity growth to energy quality
improvement. It is imperative to improve energy
development quality through advanced technological innovation and widespread implementation
of the green development philosophy.
Table 17 clearly shows that China has successfully explored an energy development path
with Chinese characteristics that is comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable. Each energy
technology strategy and policy system is created
within these macro-strategies for energy
development.
7.1.2 China’s Energy Industry
and Energy Technology
Strategies and Policies Are
in Parallel and Mutually
Beneficial
China’s energy technology strategies and policies
have transitioned from a traditional planned
economy approach to a market economy system.
Policy evolution is influenced by many factors,
including national economic development strategy, the development of natural resources and
reserves, society’s demand for energy, as well as
institutional factors like China’s classification of
industries. China’s energy technology strategies
and policies run along two lines.
The first is the energy industry. Previously,
China’s energy technology strategies and policies
were mainly initiated and promoted by former
government departments like the Ministry of
Coal Industry, the Ministry of Nuclear Industry,
the Ministry of Electric Power, the Ministry of
Petroleum, the Planning Commission, the Information Commission, and the Economic and
Trade Commission. With China’s institutional
restructuring, energy technology strategies are
now developed by ministries and agencies like
the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration, the
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural
Development, and the Ministry of Transport.
For example, the State Council published Key
Points of National Energy Technology Policies
in 1986, which gave the technology policy
requirements for coal, oil, natural gas and
hydropower. These requirements included
speeding up coal development; increasing the
economic benefits of oil field development; prioritising hydropower; using oil and gas resources
reasonably and improving the way that petroleum refining and oil products are allocated;
making coal processing, combustion and conversion technologies better and improving product allocation. In the 1990s, the government
issued Outline of China’s Energy Efficiency
Technology Policies, which focused on energy
demand. Specifically, China prioritises energy
efficiency when developing energy technologies,
focusing on making research breakthroughs in
critical energy efficiency technologies for
energy-intensive industries, and guiding private
capital into energy efficiency applications.
The second is energy technology. Government departments like the Ministry of Science
and Technology (MOST) and the Ministry of
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
387