Energy transformation powers Shanxi's development
Updated: 2022-09-29
North China's Shanxi province has promoted the comprehensive reform of the energy sector since 2012 to serve the sustainable and healthy development of the local economy and society.
By the end of 2021, there were 890 coal mines in the province, a decrease of 16.98 percent compared with the end of 2012; the production capacity of the mines was 1.36 billion metric tons per year, an increase of 2.48 percent compared with the end of 2012; the output of raw coal in 2021 was 1.19 billion tons, up 30.64 percent compared with 2012; and advanced coal production capacity accounted for 75 percent of total coal production capacity.
The construction of 10 national demonstrative coal mines has been completed, and 24 coal mines have access to a 5G network, with intelligent coal mining being promoted.
The province's total installed power generation capacity was 113 million kilowatts by the end of 2021, up 108 percent over the end of 2012. Coal-fired power units with a capacity of 300,000 kW and above accounted for 90 percent of the total coal-fired power installed capacity.
In 2021, net external power transmission to other provinces reached 123.5 billion kWh, up 61 percent over 2012. The province's power generation reached 382.5 billion kWh, up 51 percent, and electricity consumption was 260.8 billion kWh, up 48 percent. The number of businesses in the local power market had increased to 11,051 by the end of 2021.
Shanxi has seen enhanced capacity in unconventional natural gas development, with output increasing from 2.42 billion cubic meters in 2012 to 9.41 billion cu m in 2021.
Coal mine gas utilization technology has continuously improved, and the utilization rate of coal mine gas drainage has reached 44 percent, an increase of 10 percentage points compared with 2012.
The natural gas pipelines in the province have a total length of 8,610 kilometers, increasing 71.5 percent over 2012, and covered 111 counties, districts and county-level cities administered by 11 prefectural-level cities.
The new energy industry has achieved rapid development. By the end of 2021, the installed capacity of new energy and renewable energy was 38.89 million kW, accounting for 34.3 percent of the province's total installed power capacity and a 7.6-fold increase compared with the end of 2012.
In addition, Shanxi has accelerated the clean and low-carbon transformation of energy consumption. Since 2012, the province's energy consumption per unit of GDP has been reduced by 33.2 percent.