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In Depth: The World’s EV Supply Chain Is Fracturing
Since energy security concerns were pushed to the forefront due to Covid and the Russia-Ukraine war, the U.S. and the European Union have taken steps to create their own electric-vehicle (EV) supply chains. The global lithium industrial chain is breaking up into independent European, American and China segments. Read more here for how Chinese makers of EVs and batteries are bracing for a sweeping restructuring of the global lithium industrial chain long dominated by China.
Top News Items
Government work report highlights carbon reduction achievements
In a Government Work Report delivered by Li Keqiang, the former premier laid out how China’s environment has significantly improved from 2018 to 2023. The average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities at prefecture level and above has dropped by 27.5%, while the number of heavily polluted days has dropped by more than 50% and the proportion of good-quality surface water bodies in the country has risen from 67.9% to 87.9%.
According to the work report, the government also promoted carbon neutrality in a scientific and orderly manner. By coordinating the safe and stable supply of energy and green and low-carbon development, China’s energy mix has been optimized, and the proportion of clean energy consumption has risen from 20.8% to more than 25%. Carbon dioxide emissions have also dropped by 14.1% during the past five years.
New energy has developed rapidly within the past five years. However, Li still emphasized the role of coal as China’s main energy source. In the future, the Chinese government will increase advanced coal production capacity. By increasing support for power generation and heating companies, China aims to ensure the stable supply of energy.
China’s environment chief reaffirms ecological protection commitment
Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to coordinating the relationship between emission reduction as well as environment protection and development, in order to realize modernization.
Huang’s comments were made during an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress, where he said that looking forward the government will synergize high-quality economic growth with high-level environmental protection. Over the past decade, China’s economy has continued to grow while pollutant emissions have continued to decrease significantly.
Views from CPPCC National Committee members on energy-related issues
Political advisors from four major energy firms shared their perspective on areas such as the low-carbon transformation of energy, construction of new green coal power, and supporting the implementation of the “dual carbon” strategy.
Wen Shugang, chairman of China Huaneng Group Co. Ltd.
Wen touched on low-carbon transformation, where he said that an integrated scheduling mechanism of “new energy + energy storage” could be established according to local conditions to further improve the utilization level of new energy.
Qian Zhimin, chairman of State Power Investment Group Co. Ltd.
With regards to a clean energy project, SPIC initially intends to form alliances in areas including technology, industry, finance, and international cooperation, in order to create an optimal development model for photovoltaic desertification control.
Song Hailiang, chairman of China Energy Construction Group Co. Ltd.
Song focused on accelerating the construction of new green coal power and supporting the implementation of the “dual carbon” strategy. With the rapid increase of the proportion of new energy in the energy mix, the role of coal power will gradually change from basic guarantee power supply to system regulation power supply, he said.
Yang Changli, chairman of China General Nuclear Power Group Co. Ltd.
In addition to providing electricity, nuclear energy also has broad application prospects in non-electric fields such as clean heating and hydrogen production, Yang said. He suggested accumulating experience in nuclear heating demonstration projects, and promote and implement the mature technology in large and midsize cities in the northern region as soon as possible.
Huawei’s first collaboration with Turkish firms on energy storage
Huawei has announced a partnership with five energy companies from Turkey, in its first collaboration with firms from the country in storage systems. The firms are Liva Energy, Masfen Energy, Mensis Energy, Yenelis, and Zes Solar. The Turkish enterprises will purchase 2 gigawatt hours of energy storage systems from Huawei, under a joint protocol agreement signed at the Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona. Huawei’s General Manager Gavin Zhao said the company is committed to providing advanced technological solutions to the energy sector.
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