China using more clean energy: report

BEIJING - Clean energy, including natural gas and hydroelectricity, accounts for a bigger proportion of China's growing energy consumption, according to the National Development and Reform Commission' annual report.

Figures cited by the report entitled "China's Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change" showed that the country consumed about 283 million tons of non-fossil energy in 2011. This is 8.1 percent of that year's total energy consumption -- up 3.4 percentage points from 2005.

Last year, the National Energy Administration set a goal to cap the country's total energy consumption at four billion tons of coal equivalent by 2015, outlining the use of hydropower, wind power, solar power and biomass energy.

As part of the energy-saving effort, the Chinese government labelled 108 model counties for the use of green energy. It laid down development guidelines for electric car charging facilities in five cities, including Shanghai.

Figures from the report showed that the country set up hydropower generators with a capacity of 14 million Kw last year, raising its total hydropower capacity to 230 million Kw. Generators for another 55 million-Kw are being built.

Meanwhile, the capacities for wind and solar power grew by 16 million Kw and 2.1 million Kw respectively last year.

According to the report, China has also been promoting the construction of large-capacity clean coal-fired plants, which are equipped with modern technology to secure more efficiency and less pollution compared to small traditional furnaces.

Figures from the report show that the country has 40 coal-burning plants with capacities surpassing one million Kw, the most in the world.