SHI TING

A strategic energy programme for the next two decades which gives top priority to energy efficiency and conservation was announced by the central government yesterday.

The world's second largest oil consumer aims to improve its energy efficiency by more than 40 per cent by 2020, according to a report entitled "Outline of Medium-Long Term Energy Development Planning", issued by the State Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic decision-maker.

To help maintain its stellar economic development, the mainland consumed 2.68 tonnes of coal-equivalent energy for every 10,000 yuan of gross domestic product in 2002.

If the energy efficiency target is reached, that would be reduced to 1.54 tonnes of coal-equivalent energy by 2020 - saving the equivalent of 1.4 billion tonnes of coal a year.

That was a more economical way to ease the energy crisis than exploring for new oilfields, said Zhao Jiarong , a senior official with the commission.

The mainland devoured more than 1.7 billion tonnes of coal-equivalent energy last year, with oil consumption accounting for 23 per cent of the energy mix.

If consumption continues to grow unchecked, the country would consume as much as 3.2 billion tonnes of coal-equivalent energy by 2020.

That is almost double the current figure.

With a sustainable energy programme, consumption could be reduced to 2.4 billion tonnes of coal equivalent, a more comfortable level which the country can afford.

Mr Zhao said that the mainland had much room to increase energy efficiency and conservation. Of the 1.7 billion tonnes of coal-equivalent energy the nation consumed last year, at least 400 million tonnes could be saved if more effort was put into conservation, Mr Zhao was quoted by Xinhua saying.

Also, the economic structure should be optimised so that the energy-efficient service industry, whose energy consumption was 40 per cent lower than that of the heavy industrial sector, would have more room to grow.

It was the first time the central government had published its energy-saving plan.

But similar blueprints have been circulated within the government as guidelines.

Following its publication, the government will also publish catalogues of energy-saving products to encourage manufacturers to include conservation as one of their design parameters. For example, it will promote the use of energy-efficient boilers for supplying heat which emphasise energy efficiency.

The government would also encourage hotels and other public buildings to incorporate energy saving in their design plans.