China Plans to Have 100 New Energy Demonstration Cities by 2015

27 Apr 2011

April 27, China, the world’s second-largest energy consumer, will choose 100 new energy demonstration cities by 2015 as a vital component of its new energy strategy outlined in the 12th Five-Year Plan.

New energy technologies to be demonstrated in the 100 cities include geothermal energy, solar energy, wind energy, biological energy, new energy vehicles and smart grids, said Hu Runqing, deputy researcher at the Center for Renewable Energy Development under the Energy Research Institute, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The cities will focus on demonstrating the application of new energy technologies, instead of equipment manufacturing and energy production.

Industry experts generally agree that China’s new energy industry is limited by underdeveloped domestic application of new technologies. Official data show China’s production of solar-cells accounted for 50% of the world’s total output in 2010, but 95% of that was exported.

“In terms of application [of new energy technologies], the demonstration cities will change the old mode of large scale transportation and emphasize distributed energy resources to produce locally and consume locally,” an official at the National Energy Bureau (NEB) told the 21st Century Business Herald.

Distributed energy resources are small-scale power generation technologies located close to where electricity is used to provide an alternative to or an enhancement of the traditional electric power system.

The central government is currently compiling an index and support policies for new energy demonstration cities, which are expected to be published before the end of this year, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Researcher Hu said conurbations of all sizes, including metropolises and prefecture and county-level cities, are all welcome to apply.

The index will be established by CECEP Consulting, a subsidiary of the state-run China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group.

The proportion of new energy in primary energy consumption will be a key indicator as it directly reflects the level of new energy development in an area, said director Guo, who is heading up the project at CECEP Consulting.

Some experts suggest setting the new energy proportion at 8%-10%, but this has not been decided, Guo said.

Meanwhile, related support policies are also being researched.

At the end of 2010, China’s Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and NEB jointly issued a notice to start building 108 green energy demonstration counties across the nation.

Under that scheme, the central government will provide a subsidy of RMB 30 million for each participating county, with a cap of RMB 50 million, and local financial aid in central and western regions will not be less than 30% of that provided by the central government.

Based on that, local officials are expecting a similar subsidy for the 100 demonstration cities.

“The subsidy for the demonstration cities may by higher than that for counties, as cities have a higher administration level,” said an official from a local NDRC bureau.

Some cities are rushing to take part in the project, although no policy details have been finalized.

Last May, Zhang Guobao, who was then head of the NEB, said at a forum during the Shanghai 2010 World Expo that Turpan, a county-level city in Xinjiang autonomous region, had received approval to build a national new energy demonstration city.

The NEB has also approved a plan for a national energy demonstration city submitted by Dezhou, a city with a solid new energy industrial base in Shandong province, sources said.

Dunhuang, a city in China’s western Gansu province, is actively applying to participate in the NDRC’s demonstration project.

Local governments may rush headlong into the project, but their support mechanisms will decide the success or failure of the program, said Yang Fuqiang, a senior adviser on climate and energy to the Natural Resources Defense Council in China.

“What needs to be solved in the future is how to integrate distributed energy resources with power grids, construction departments and urban planning,” said researcher Hu.

http://en.21cbh.com/HTML/2011-4-27/zMMjMyXzIxMDAzMw.html

245 Sign Up for EPA's 'Battle of the Buildings'

By EMILY YEHLE of Greenwire

Published: May 2, 2011U.S. EPA launched its "Battle of the Buildings" competition today, enlisting 245 stores, schools, museums and other commercial buildings to participate in a contest to see who can reduce energy use the most.

The agency's National Building Competition -- held for the first time last year -- promotes EPA's Energy Star program, a marketing-based effort that uses labels to alert customers of high-performing products. Competitors exchange ideas to become more energy efficient and track their building's monthly energy consumption with an online tool called Portfolio Manager.

"It's really a nice way to dispel a bunch of myths. One is that it costs a lot of money to make buildings more efficient," said Energy Star spokeswoman Maria Vargas. "There are a wide range of activities, from large capital improvement to just making sure lights are off when people aren't using them."

Last year's competition only included 14 buildings, which collectively saved more than $950,000 and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of almost 600 homes. The 2010 winner was Morrison Residence Hall at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The dormitory reduced its energy use by 35.7 percent in one year, saving more than $250,000 on its energy bills.

Three residence halls are competing this year, including Chapel Hill's Kenan Residence Hall. But the majority of participants are schools and office buildings, collectively making up 165 of the 245 buildings competing.

The competition includes 26 types of buildings, a variety selected in order to produce case studies that can be used through the public and private sectors, Vargas said. Participants can exchange ideas through Twitter, Facebook and other social media applications.

EPA officials will select between 10 and 14 finalists in July, Vargas said. Those finalists will submit Statements of Energy Performance signed by a professional engineer or licensed architect; the building with the largest percentage reduction between Sept. 1, 2010, and Aug. 31, 2011, will be declared the winner in November.

"EPA's Battle of the Buildings competitors are showing that everyone can help save energy where we work, play and learn," EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe said in a sound bite released to promote the competition. "If you want to save energy, you can start by turning off lights when you leave the room, power down computers and unplug electronics when they aren't in use. These small steps can make a big difference in saving energy and money."

Vargas said last year's participants primarily reduced energy use through maintenance and behavioral changes. EPA has kept tabs on the buildings, she said, and those savings appear to be continuing.

"It's very much like losing weight, so we are following up with last year contestants," she said. But unlike a diet, she added, there's no reason to slip back into old ways and pay a higher utility bill.

Click here for a list of participants and more information on EPA's National Building Competition.

Copyright 2011 E&E Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/05/02/02greenwire-245-sign-up-for-epas-battle-of-the-buildings-4465.html