来源：上海日报  时间：2006-09-25

China needs advanced tech to help conserve energy

Michael Wang

THE constantly increasing consumption of traditional non-renewable energy all over the world is posing threats to both energy sustainability and the environment.

  To tackle these problems, China needs to devote greater efforts to energy saving, developing clean energy and finding better alternatives.

  The "International Energy Outlook 2006" released by the US Energy Information Administration in June presented an assessment of the world's energy supply and demand at international energy markets through 2030.

  According to the outlook, the main increase in energy consumption in the next 20 years will still be in coal, gas, and oil.

  As we all know, environmental pollution, especially air pollution, is closely related to energy consumption, as the combustion of fossil fuels gives off carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

  Statistics show that more than 80 percent of carbon dioxide pollution is caused by energy consumption, and more than 90 percent of acid rain is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

  And as energy use grows, global emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants will also grow.

  China's GDP has been growing quickly in recent years, and will continue to do so for 20 to 30 years.

  At present, China's energy consumption per unit of GDP is much higher than that of America and Japan. But this also means we have a greater potential ability to make progress in energy saving.

  If China can successfully adopt the advanced US energy technologies now available on the market, we will be able to make an incredible improvement.

  There are many things we can do to achieve the aim.

  On one hand, as the power sector is a major energy consumer, it needs some new solutions to keep energy sustainable.

  First, it should conserve energy so as to contain the growth of electricity demand. Power plants should make efforts to reduce the consumption of primary energy in electricity generation. Further, research should also focus on how to make electric products that save as much power as possible.

  Second, the industry should use less carbon intensive fuels for power generation. At present, coal is the most common energy resource in electricity generation.

  Without advanced technology, burning coal causes heavy air pollution.

  To improve the situation, we can try renewable power, such as wind, solar power and biomass as good alternatives. They are clean and do not pollute the environment.

  Meanwhile, advanced power generation technology should also be used.

  For example, the integrated gasification combined cycle is an advanced technology for electricity generation. It also uses coal as fuel.

  With this technology, the coal consumption is not only efficient but also gives off fewer pollutants.

  Last but not least, there should be stringent emission controls in power plants.

  On the other hand, as a rapidly growing industry as well as a major energy consuming sector, the transport sector should also shoulder its responsibility in energy saving.

  In the United States, the transport sector takes up two-thirds the total US oil consumption. Although it takes up only about 30 to 40 percent the total oil consumption in China at present, the rapid development of private cars during recent years will inevitably lead to higher energy demand and cause more environmental problems.

  According to the present increase rate, the Argonne National Laboratory in the United States predicts that the total number of vehicles owned in China will reach the US level within 30 or 40 years.

  There are three approaches that China's transport sector can take: Improving vehicle technologies, using alternative fuels and reducing standard vehicle miles traveled.

  Advanced technologies include improvement of conventional energy technologies, hybrid electric vehicles, both grid independent and plug-in hybrids, fuel-cell vehicles, battery-powered vehicles, and others.

  In developed countries, there are basically two advanced technologies - diesel and hybrid.

  The diesel engine is more efficient than the gasoline engine, but produces more pollutants. In Europe, most locomotives are diesel driven. But in countries like the United States and Japan, people prefer hybrid vehicles.

  In China, diesel vehicles are gradually becoming popular. However, as air pollution is already serious in big cities, using diesel requires introducing advanced technologies to reduce pollution.

  Alternative transport fuels include natural gas-based fuels, coal-based fuels, methanol, FT diesel (ultra low sulfur), biofuels, corn/cellulose ethanol, soybean biodiesel and hydrogen produced from different energy resources.

  Each alternative fuel has its own merits and disadvantages. Perhaps it would be better for us to advocate the diversification of fuels for the transport sector.

  Vehicle miles traveled need to be contained by promoting public-transport systems such as dedicated bus lanes, priority at intersections, and hybrid-electric buses.

  Big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are doing well in this respect.

  By now, there still has not been an alternative energy that can totally take the place of coal, gas and oil. As the demand for such energy is going up all the time, energy saving and environmental protection will continue to be important issues for China.

(The author is director of the Center for Transportation Research of the Argonne National Laboratory, US. This is adapted from his speech in Shanghai last week.)