Energy intensity falls, call to do more

Tag : Non-ferrous Metal
China's energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 2.88percent year-on-year during the first half of this year, thegovernment announced yesterday without giving immediate comment onthe performance.

But the central government's recent repeated circulars and urgencyplaced on energy saving prior to the announcement have signaledthat it is not satisfied with the progress, saying "tremendousefforts are needed" to meet the country's 2006-10 conservationtarget.

The figure was 0.1 percentage point more than the same period lastyear, according to a bulletin jointly released by the NationalBureau of Statistics, National Development and Reform Commission(NDRC) and National Energy Administration.

China has pledged to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by20 percent by 2010 from the 2005 level, which represents an annualdecrease of 4 percent on average.

The government did not reveal how much China's energy intensityindex during the first half of this year decreased from the 2005level. Compared with the 2005 benchmark, it reduced by 3.66 percentin 2007 and 1.23 percent in 2006, which failed to meet the annualtarget.

Despite that China has accelerated its paces in energyconservation, NDRC's Vice-Minister Xie Zhenhua said there was stilla long way to go as the country had just completed a quarter of itsfive-year goal during the past two years.

"We still need tremendous efforts to achieve the 20 percentgoal," said Xie, who is in charge of coordination of theenergy efficiency work.

During the first half of this year, energy consumption per unit ofoutput in industrial enterprises with annual sales exceeding 5million yuan ratcheted down 5.76 percent year-on-year.

The year-on-year drop was 6.74 percent for the coal sector, 4.05percent for the iron and steel sector, 3.7 percent for thenon-ferrous metal sector, and 9.98 percent for the buildingmaterial industry.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said China'shigh energy-consuming industries experienced a growth slowdown inthe first half of this year. The six biggest energy-guzzlingsectors - electricity power, non-ferrous metal, chemicals, iron andsteel, building materials and petroleum - recorded a growth of 14.5percent in output value, 5.6 percentage points lower than thegrowth rate for the same period of last year.

Last month, the central government said in a bulletin that sevenout of 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in Chinafailed to reach 2007's energy conservation targets.

And the governmental organizations at all levels were urged by thecentral government in a recent circular to enhance theirenergy-saving management, cultivate energy-saving product marketsand disseminate energy-saving knowledge among the public.

Source:Xinhua