Shanghai to intensify efforts to achieve carbon peak

More efforts will be made in Shanghai this year to promote the consumption of non-fossil fuel energies and help achieve carbon peaking in key areas so that the city can more efficiently attain its green transition goals as stated in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), according to a work plan released by the Shanghai Municipal Development & Reform Commission in late March.

In general, Shanghai's energy consumption per unit of GDP and carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP should each go down by 3 percent by the end of 2024.

Green power resources outside Shanghai should be introduced into the city at a faster pace, said the plan. By the end of this year, Shanghai plans to purchase 4 billion kWH of non-fossil energy power generated outside the city. More than 600,000 kilowatts of newly added photovoltaic capacity should be installed in Shanghai. The phase one construction of offshore wind power in southwest Shanghai's Jinshan district should be accelerated. A long-term work mechanism and market system to promote green power consumption should be more rapidly set up in the city.

Carbon peaking in the industrial sector should be deepened, according to the plan. Up to 450 industrial projects with lower production capacity should be adjusted this year. The development of green and low-carbon sectors, such as new types of energy storage, hydrogen power and re-manufacturing, should be sped up. The construction of an energy management center overlooking companies with an annual energy consumption of 2,000 tons of standard coal should also be advanced.

Carbon peaking should also be advanced in the construction sector both in the urban and rural areas. At least 2 million square meters of buildings with extremely low energy consumption should be built in the city. Meanwhile, a minimum 1-million-sq-m of existing public constructions should have their energy consumption reduced by 15 percent per unit construction area.

Low-carbon upgrades should be promoted for transportation equipment, while full electrification of vehicles will be advanced in the urban public transportation sector. Sustainable fuel alternatives should be more widely used in the aviation and shipping sectors. Photovoltaic applications in the transportation sector should be deepened, according to the plan.

Technology innovation should play a pivotal role in terms of Shanghai's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, said the plan. Efforts should be made to develop frontier and disruptive low-carbon technologies. A number of research institutes should be nurtured in the city to conduct more research concerning energy saving, low-carbon transition and new energies, said the plan.