Charcoal Photo:PSC

North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will take steps to reduce its dependence on coal consumption and accelerate major renewable energy projects to reduce the region’s energy consumption per unit of GDP by 15 % by 2025 compared to five years ago, according to guidelines issued by the regional government. In Monday.

According to an action plan for energy conservation and emission reduction during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the region will reduce coal consumption to less than 75% and increase unused energy consumption. fossil to about 18% of its total. energy consumption by 2025.

Local authorities have stressed the need to step up oversight of large coal-consuming industries such as steel, while accelerating the transition to renewables and upgrading 20 million kilowatts of coal-fired power generation units. 2025.

During this time, the region will reduce emissions of chemical oxygen, ammonia nitrogen, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds by 8% compared to five years ago.

Inner Mongolia is rich in coal resources, recording 1.001 billion tons of coal production in 2020, according to official data, ranking second after North China’s Shanxi Province, which is the largest base. of coal production in the country. The coal production of the two provinces combined accounted for 53.7% of China’s total coal production in 2020.

With the measures targeting energy conservation and emission reduction, Inner Mongolia plans to increase energy utilization efficiency, control pollutant emissions and achieve an advanced national level of energy efficiency. efficiency, as it strives to transform its economy from a resource-dependent model of economic development to one driven by innovation. .

The agenda is in line with the country’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge carbon emissions and carbon neutrality initiatives, while ensuring energy security.

According to a package of measures to stabilize economic performance released by the State Council in May, coal will be produced while ensuring safety, environmental friendliness and efficient use. A number of new hydroelectric and coal projects will start this year.