Education have developed a series of technology
innovation strategies and policies around basic
science, technological innovation and industry
development that provide a solid basis for innovation in energy technologies. For instance,
MOST was lead for the Outline of the National
Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan for
Science and Technology in 2005, which prioritised energy technologies. The plan drew up
guidelines on independent innovation, major
technological breakthroughs and development
support to achieve progress in energy technology
and sustainable energy development. The
research focused on the efficient development
and clean use of coal, addressing the shortage of
liquid
fuels,
renewable
energy,
and
energy-efficient technologies.
7.1.3 China’s Energy Technology
Innovation Has Made Some
Achievements, But Gaps
Remain
In recent years, China has significantly improved
its ability to innovate and independently manufacture energy and equipment technologies. It has
also built an impressive array of world-class
energy technology demonstration projects.
Specifically, China has: (i) mastered in part the
critical equipment and technologies needed for
exploring and developing shale gas, tight oil and
other unconventional energy sources; made coalbed methane exploration and development possible at scale; independently developed and
manufactured a deep-water semi-submersible
drilling vessel with the ability to drill at depths
of 3,000 m, and equipment packages like a large
gas liquefaction system and electric motor-driven
compressor unit for long-distance pipeline transmission; deployed internationally advanced oil
and gas exploration and development technologies in complex terrain; and developed oil refining
technologies in the 10 million tonne per year
category; (ii) developed green and safe coal mining technologies, industrialised coal-intensive
processing technologies, including gasification,
liquefaction and pyrolysis, and carried out
demonstration projects that use low-grade coal in
higher-quality applications; (iii) deployed more
ultra-supercritical coal-fired power generation
units than any other country; made breakthroughs
in large integrated gasification combined cycle
(IGCC) power generation, carbon storage
demonstration projects and 700 °C ultrasupercritical coal-fired power generation technologies; developed large 1,000 kV ultra-high
voltage AC and ±800 kV ultra-high voltage DC
technologies and complete equipment packages at
a world-leading level; and rapidly developed
smart grid and energy storage technologies;
(iv) developed the AP1000 nuclear reactor and
critical equipment and material manufacturing
technologies; started construction of the Hualong
1 nuclear power demonstration project that uses
Generation 3 technologies independently developed in China; and started construction of the first
commercial nuclear power demonstration project
to use high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and an independently designed and manufactured nuclear-level digital instrumentation
and control system; and (v) taken onshore wind
power technologies to an internationally advanced
level, made breakthroughs in and successfully
demonstrated offshore wind power technologies;
and developed solar photovoltaic power at scale,
demonstrated concentrated solar power technologies, and made advances in critical cellulosic
ethanol.
Even though China has made great progress in
energy technologies, there is still a big gap
compared with the world’s energy technology
powers and the qualities needed to lead the
energy revolution. First, China lacks core technologies—key equipment and materials need to
be imported. For example, the key technologies
in fields like Generation 3 nuclear reactors, new
energy and shale gas are often introduced from
overseas then slowly developed in China over a
long time. In other technologies—like gas turbines and high-temperature materials, offshore
oil and gas exploration and development—China
is behind. Second, relations between industry,
universities and research institutions are not close
enough and the position of companies as innovation driver is not clear. Insufficient use is made
of the valuable innovation opportunities that
major energy projects and energy technology
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
389
innovation strategies and policies around basic
science, technological innovation and industry
development that provide a solid basis for innovation in energy technologies. For instance,
MOST was lead for the Outline of the National
Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan for
Science and Technology in 2005, which prioritised energy technologies. The plan drew up
guidelines on independent innovation, major
technological breakthroughs and development
support to achieve progress in energy technology
and sustainable energy development. The
research focused on the efficient development
and clean use of coal, addressing the shortage of
liquid
fuels,
renewable
energy,
and
energy-efficient technologies.
7.1.3 China’s Energy Technology
Innovation Has Made Some
Achievements, But Gaps
Remain
In recent years, China has significantly improved
its ability to innovate and independently manufacture energy and equipment technologies. It has
also built an impressive array of world-class
energy technology demonstration projects.
Specifically, China has: (i) mastered in part the
critical equipment and technologies needed for
exploring and developing shale gas, tight oil and
other unconventional energy sources; made coalbed methane exploration and development possible at scale; independently developed and
manufactured a deep-water semi-submersible
drilling vessel with the ability to drill at depths
of 3,000 m, and equipment packages like a large
gas liquefaction system and electric motor-driven
compressor unit for long-distance pipeline transmission; deployed internationally advanced oil
and gas exploration and development technologies in complex terrain; and developed oil refining
technologies in the 10 million tonne per year
category; (ii) developed green and safe coal mining technologies, industrialised coal-intensive
processing technologies, including gasification,
liquefaction and pyrolysis, and carried out
demonstration projects that use low-grade coal in
higher-quality applications; (iii) deployed more
ultra-supercritical coal-fired power generation
units than any other country; made breakthroughs
in large integrated gasification combined cycle
(IGCC) power generation, carbon storage
demonstration projects and 700 °C ultrasupercritical coal-fired power generation technologies; developed large 1,000 kV ultra-high
voltage AC and ±800 kV ultra-high voltage DC
technologies and complete equipment packages at
a world-leading level; and rapidly developed
smart grid and energy storage technologies;
(iv) developed the AP1000 nuclear reactor and
critical equipment and material manufacturing
technologies; started construction of the Hualong
1 nuclear power demonstration project that uses
Generation 3 technologies independently developed in China; and started construction of the first
commercial nuclear power demonstration project
to use high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and an independently designed and manufactured nuclear-level digital instrumentation
and control system; and (v) taken onshore wind
power technologies to an internationally advanced
level, made breakthroughs in and successfully
demonstrated offshore wind power technologies;
and developed solar photovoltaic power at scale,
demonstrated concentrated solar power technologies, and made advances in critical cellulosic
ethanol.
Even though China has made great progress in
energy technologies, there is still a big gap
compared with the world’s energy technology
powers and the qualities needed to lead the
energy revolution. First, China lacks core technologies—key equipment and materials need to
be imported. For example, the key technologies
in fields like Generation 3 nuclear reactors, new
energy and shale gas are often introduced from
overseas then slowly developed in China over a
long time. In other technologies—like gas turbines and high-temperature materials, offshore
oil and gas exploration and development—China
is behind. Second, relations between industry,
universities and research institutions are not close
enough and the position of companies as innovation driver is not clear. Insufficient use is made
of the valuable innovation opportunities that
major energy projects and energy technology
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
389