By Fu Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-24 07:34

China should become a global leader in energy efficiency by 2050 when nuclear power and renewable energy is likely to account for at least half of the country's energy mix.

A senior State leader yesterday urged policymakers to come up with strengthened efforts to draw up such a long-term "strategic roadmap" for China's energy industry while focusing on clean energy development.

"We should have a clear strategic roadmap," said Lu Yongxiang, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress. "It is not only for 2020, but also for 2030 and 2050."

"By 2050, China should become a global leader in energy efficiency while advocating cleaner energy development," Lu, who is also president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said.

To reduce environmental impact and save resources, he said China should decrease its use of fossil fuels and accelerate the restructuring of its energy consumption mix during its rapid industrialization and urbanization.

In his own roadmap, Lu said nuclear energy may consist of 25 to 30 percent of China's total energy consumption by 2050, with renewable energy such as hydro power likely to account for 20 to 25 percent of China's energy consumption by that time.

"By then, our fossil energy dependence can be reduced to 50 percent and I personally believe this goal should be reachable," Lu said.

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