Pollution affecting nature of China's energy market

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Recent days of heavy air pollution, particularly in China's north, have once again turned the spotlight on the energy use in China. A solution is to look at alternate sources of energy that are non-polluting and sustainable. This is what energy experts are debating about at the latest China Mining Exhibition in Tianjin.

China’s energy demand is growing at over 4 percent per year in the current decade, but the serious air pollution problem is changing the country’s energy market.

Reporter: “China now gets 70% of its energy from coal. But, it’s believed to be one of the major contributers to air pollution in the country. And, businesses relying on coal may have a hard time in the future.”

The iron and steel industry also causes air pollution. The industries have been affected by low profits and over capacity in recent years, but they are still expanding in China. Around 2 million tons of steel are produced every day.

“The State Council has clarified the country’s roadmap to resolve excess production capacity in the iron and steel industry. It is tightening new projects and environmental protection standards. The iron and steel industries are really hurting, as many are running at a low profit, and require a large investment in order to reduce emissions. And the worst is yet to come.” Professor Wang Yingsheng from Market Research Development of China Iron & Steel Association, said.

As China makes every effort to reduce air pollution, the country has started to explore new energy sources to cater to the rising energy market.

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