IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v124y2014icp199-212.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can China realize its carbon emission reduction goal in 2020: From the perspective of thermal power development

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Liwei
  • Zong, Haijing
  • Zhao, Erdong
  • Chen, Chuxiang
  • Wang, Jianzhou

Abstract

This paper answers the question of whether China can realize its target to reduce the intensity of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per unit of GDP that was announced at the Copenhagen Conference by forecasting CO2 emission intensity in 2020 from the perspective of China’s coal-fired thermal power development. We construct a combined forecasting model with a grey model (GM(1,1)), an autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA) and a second order polynomial regression model (SOPR) and improve forecast accuracy by optimizing three coefficients of the individual aforementioned models with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The results show that by 2020 thermal power generation will reach 7258.83billion kWh, CO2 emissions will reach 17379.90million tons, and CO2 emission intensity will be 0.21kilogram per Yuan, which is almost twice as 40–45% of the 2005 level. It is warned that situation of meeting targets over the timescale by Chinese government is extremely serious if China’s coal-fired thermal power continues expanding at its current rate. The thermal power generation of 2020 that satisfies the emission reduction target should be controlled in an interval between 3801.45 and 4492.62billion kWh. The regional forecasting results of coal-fired thermal power generation based on administrative region and economic belt demonstrate power output from coal-fired thermal power of East China and Eastern Economic Belt respectively account for 30.3% and 45.65% that of China by the end of 2020. Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong and Fujian are thermal power generation concentrated areas with arduous task of carbon emission reduction by 2020.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Liwei & Zong, Haijing & Zhao, Erdong & Chen, Chuxiang & Wang, Jianzhou, 2014. "Can China realize its carbon emission reduction goal in 2020: From the perspective of thermal power development," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 199-212.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:124:y:2014:i:c:p:199-212
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.03.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261914002232
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.03.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Shaojun & Wu, Ye & Liu, Huan & Huang, Ruikun & Yang, Liuhanzi & Li, Zhenhua & Fu, Lixin & Hao, Jiming, 2014. "Real-world fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of urban public buses in Beijing," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1645-1655.
    2. Tsai, Chi-Yang & Yeh, Szu-Wei, 2008. "A multiple objective particle swarm optimization approach for inventory classification," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(2), pages 656-666, August.
    3. Zhang, ZhongXiang, 2010. "Assessing China’s Energy Conservation and Carbon Intensity: How Will the Future Differ from the Past?," Sustainable Development Papers 92837, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    4. Chandran Govindaraju, V.G.R. & Tang, Chor Foon, 2013. "The dynamic links between CO2 emissions, economic growth and coal consumption in China and India," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 310-318.
    5. ZhiDong, Li, 2003. "An econometric study on China's economy, energy and environment to the year 2030," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(11), pages 1137-1150, September.
    6. Auffhammer, Maximilian & Carson, Richard T., 2006. "Forecasting the Path of China's CO2 Emissions: Offsetting Kyoto - and Then Some," CUDARE Working Papers 7197, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    7. Guo, Zhenhai & Zhao, Jing & Zhang, Wenyu & Wang, Jianzhou, 2011. "A corrected hybrid approach for wind speed prediction in Hexi Corridor of China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 1668-1679.
    8. Zhang, Zhongxiang, 2000. "Decoupling China's Carbon Emissions Increase from Economic Growth: An Economic Analysis and Policy Implications," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 739-752, April.
    9. Choi, Yongrok & Zhang, Ning & Zhou, P., 2012. "Efficiency and abatement costs of energy-related CO2 emissions in China: A slacks-based efficiency measure," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 198-208.
    10. Weber, Christopher L. & Peters, Glen P. & Guan, Dabo & Hubacek, Klaus, 2008. "The contribution of Chinese exports to climate change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 3572-3577, September.
    11. Yue, Ting & Long, Ruyin & Chen, Hong & Zhao, Xin, 2013. "The optimal CO2 emissions reduction path in Jiangsu province: An expanded IPAT approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1510-1517.
    12. Chen, Chun-I, 2008. "Application of the novel nonlinear grey Bernoulli model for forecasting unemployment rate," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 278-287.
    13. Wang, Ping & Wu, Wanshui & Zhu, Bangzhu & Wei, Yiming, 2013. "Examining the impact factors of energy-related CO2 emissions using the STIRPAT model in Guangdong Province, China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 65-71.
    14. Su, Bin & Ang, B.W., 2014. "Input–output analysis of CO2 emissions embodied in trade: A multi-region model for China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 377-384.
    15. Michieka, Nyakundi M. & Fletcher, Jerald & Burnett, Wesley, 2013. "An empirical analysis of the role of China’s exports on CO2 emissions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 258-267.
    16. Cai, Wenjia & Wang, Can & Wang, Ke & Zhang, Ying & Chen, Jining, 2007. "Scenario analysis on CO2 emissions reduction potential in China's electricity sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 6445-6456, December.
    17. Chung, Whan-Sam & Tohno, Susumu & Choi, Ki-Hong, 2011. "Socio-technological impact analysis using an energy IO approach to GHG emissions issues in South Korea," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(11), pages 3747-3758.
    18. Tan, Zhongfu & Li, Li & Wang, Jianjun & Wang, Jianhui, 2011. "Examining the driving forces for improving China’s CO2 emission intensity using the decomposing method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4496-4504.
    19. Yuan, Jiahai & Hou, Yong & Xu, Ming, 2012. "China's 2020 carbon intensity target: Consistency, implementations, and policy implications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(7), pages 4970-4981.
    20. Du, Kerui & Lu, Huang & Yu, Kun, 2014. "Sources of the potential CO2 emission reduction in China: A nonparametric metafrontier approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 491-501.
    21. Yu, Shiwei & Wei, Yi-Ming & Fan, Jingli & Zhang, Xian & Wang, Ke, 2012. "Exploring the regional characteristics of inter-provincial CO2 emissions in China: An improved fuzzy clustering analysis based on particle swarm optimization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 552-562.
    22. Saxena, Samveg & Phadke, Amol & Gopal, Anand, 2014. "Understanding the fuel savings potential from deploying hybrid cars in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1127-1133.
    23. Xu, Gang & Yang, Yong-ping & Lu, Shi-yuan & Li, Le & Song, Xiaona, 2011. "Comprehensive evaluation of coal-fired power plants based on grey relational analysis and analytic hierarchy process," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2343-2351, May.
    24. Jon D. Samuels & Rodrigo Sekkel, 2013. "Forecasting with Many Models: Model Confidence Sets and Forecast Combination," Staff Working Papers 13-11, Bank of Canada.
    25. Zhang, Shuwei & Bauer, Nico & Luderer, Gunnar & Kriegler, Elmar, 2014. "Role of technologies in energy-related CO2 mitigation in China within a climate-protection world: A scenarios analysis using REMIND," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 445-455.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ying Wang & Peipei Shang & Lichun He & Yingchun Zhang & Dandan Liu, 2018. "Can China Achieve the 2020 and 2030 Carbon Intensity Targets through Energy Structure Adjustment?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-32, October.
    2. Michieka, Nyakundi M. & Fletcher, Jerald & Burnett, Wesley, 2013. "An empirical analysis of the role of China’s exports on CO2 emissions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 258-267.
    3. Zhao, Xueting & Wesley Burnett, J. & Lacombe, Donald J., 2015. "Province-level convergence of China’s carbon dioxide emissions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 286-295.
    4. Tan, Feifei & Lu, Zhaohua, 2015. "Current status and future choices of regional sectors-energy-related CO2 emissions: The third economic growth pole of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 237-251.
    5. Yan Li & Yigang Wei & Zhang Dong, 2020. "Will China Achieve Its Ambitious Goal?—Forecasting the CO 2 Emission Intensity of China towards 2030," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, June.
    6. Li Li & Jianjun Wang, 2015. "The Effects of Coal Switching and Improvements in Electricity Production Efficiency and Consumption on CO 2 Mitigation Goals in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-20, July.
    7. Lin, Boqiang & Wang, Xiaolei, 2015. "Carbon emissions from energy intensive industry in China: Evidence from the iron & steel industry," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 746-754.
    8. Zhang, Chi & Yan, Jinyue, 2015. "CDM’s influence on technology transfers: A study of the implemented clean development mechanism projects in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 355-365.
    9. Xie, Xuan & Shao, Shuai & Lin, Boqiang, 2016. "Exploring the driving forces and mitigation pathways of CO2 emissions in China’s petroleum refining and coking industry: 1995–2031," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1004-1015.
    10. Xu, Bin & Lin, Boqiang, 2015. "How industrialization and urbanization process impacts on CO2 emissions in China: Evidence from nonparametric additive regression models," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 188-202.
    11. Wang, Jianjun & Li, Li, 2016. "Sustainable energy development scenario forecasting and energy saving policy analysis of China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 718-724.
    12. Xu, Bin & Lin, Boqiang, 2016. "Assessing CO2 emissions in China’s iron and steel industry: A dynamic vector autoregression model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 375-386.
    13. Wang, Zhenyu & Meng, Jing & Zheng, Heran & Shao, Shuai & Wang, Daoping & Mi, Zhifu & Guan, Dabo, 2018. "Temporal change in India’s imbalance of carbon emissions embodied in international trade," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 914-925.
    14. Zhang, Bo & Yang, T.R. & Chen, B. & Sun, X.D., 2016. "China’s regional CH4 emissions: Characteristics, interregional transfer and mitigation policies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1184-1195.
    15. Niu, Shuwen & Liu, Yiyue & Ding, Yongxia & Qu, Wei, 2016. "China׳s energy systems transformation and emissions peak," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 782-795.
    16. Meng, Jing & Liu, Junfeng & Guo, Shan & Huang, Ye & Tao, Shu, 2016. "The impact of domestic and foreign trade on energy-related PM emissions in Beijing," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 853-862.
    17. Liu, Yu & Meng, Bo & Hubacek, Klaus & Xue, Jinjun & Feng, Kuishuang & Gao, Yuning, 2016. "‘Made in China’: A reevaluation of embodied CO2 emissions in Chinese exports using firm heterogeneity information," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1106-1113.
    18. Shi, Changfeng & Zhi, Jiaqi & Yao, Xiao & Zhang, Hong & Yu, Yue & Zeng, Qingshun & Li, Luji & Zhang, Yuxi, 2023. "How can China achieve the 2030 carbon peak goal—a crossover analysis based on low-carbon economics and deep learning," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    19. Du, Limin & Hanley, Aoife & Wei, Chu, 2015. "Estimating the Marginal Abatement Cost Curve of CO2 Emissions in China: Provincial Panel Data Analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 217-229.
    20. Guo, Xiuping & Meng, Xianglei & Luan, Qingfeng & Wang, Yanhua, 2023. "Trade openness, globalization, and natural resources management: The moderating role of economic complexity in newly industrialized countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:124:y:2014:i:c:p:199-212. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.