[cai-asia] CAI-Asia China Project E-Newslette Issue No.17, 2008
Xiaojia Bao
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Air Quality, Energy, Transport, and Climate Change in China
CAI-Asia China Project E-Newsletter
Issue No.17, 2008
(Compiled by Xiaojia BAO)
Included in this issue:
- Chengdu enhances floating dust control
- MEP is making Vehicle Inside Air Pollutant Restriction Standard
- Urumqi to finish waste gas inspection of all 60,000 vehicles
- Guangdong to adopt national III oil through 4 stages
- National Energy Bureau appreciates energy-saving vehicles
AIR QUALITY
- Initiatives
Chengdu: Enhance floating dust control (May 2, 2008)
Chengdu held an on-site meeting to control floating dust. It is required that all 20 regions, including districts and counties should emphasize floating dust control. Measures include enhancing floating dust management in construction sites, pushing forward barren land coverage, road solidification, and enhance management to sand-transportation vehicles.
Chinese link: http://www.cenews.com.cn/xwzx/zhxw/qt/200805/t20080504_585584.html
MEP is making Vehicle Inside Air Pollutant Restriction Standard (May 4, 2008)
To prevent Inside-vehicle air pollution, Ministry of Environment is making a new pollutant restriction standard for vehicle-inside air pollution. MEP has recently launched the new restriction and measuring methods for vehicle waste gas pollution in vehicle ignite engines and special-used ignite engines.
Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=24370
ENERGY
- Initiatives
Biomass power plant settles in Changchun (April 28, 2008)
Huaneng Changchun Biomass Power Plant, Huaneng's first biomass power plant, settled in Changchun, Jilin province on April 26, 2008. Expected to be operational by August 2009, the plant has an installed capacity of 50,000 kw and has received a total investment of 300 million yuan ($42.84 million). It is designed to generate as much as 180 million kwh of electricity annually after its completion.
English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-04/28/content_6649055.htm
Qinghai: Enhance monitoring to key energy-consuming enterprises (May 2, 2008)
To finish the 11th Five-Year-Plan on energy saving, Qinghai will hold special inspection to 123 key energy-consuming enterprises, including document inspection on 87 enterprises, on-site inspection to 36 enterprises. The energy inspection to key enterprises was regularly since the beginning of 11th FYP. Compared to the past inspections, this year's new inspection increased some new aspects, like compiling new regulations for new, reconstructed, expanded projects, and energy-saving assessment.
Chinese link: http://www.cenews.com.cn/xwzx/zhxw/qt/200805/t20080504_585586.html
ADB supports energy-efficient projects in China (May 4, 2008)
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is extending over $114 million in a partial credit guarantee program to support energy-efficient projects in China. The pilot program, which is the ADB's first credit guarantee to mobilize commercial financing in China, will initially target energy efficiency projects for buildings in southern and eastern China, the more industrialized part of the country.
English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-05/04/content_6659118.htm
Sino-Italian Renewable Energy Cooperative Program Launched in Sichuan (May 4, 2008)
Sino-Italian Renewable Energy Cooperative Program launched a pilot research project on Jatropha curcas biomass in Sichuan. The project aims to promote biomass diesel research and industrialization using Jatropha curcas.
Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=24379
TRANSPORT
- Facts
China imports more motor vehicles in first two months (May 2, 2008)
China's motor vehicle imports soared sharply on strong demand at home in the first two months of this year, sources with the General Administration of Customs said on Friday. From January to February, China imported 62,000 motor vehicles for $2.26 billion, up 82.6 percent and 93.4 percent, respectively, on the same period of last year. The growth rates were 63.9 percentage points and 80.8 percentage points higher, respectively.
English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-05/02/content_6657317.htm
- Regulations & Measures
Urumqi to finish waste gas inspection of all 60,000 vehicles (May 4, 2008)
During a recent interview on relevant officers from Urumqi EPB, it is revealed that 60,000 vehicles will finish waste gas inspection in 2008. Those vehicles will be labeled with green and yellow signals. Yellow labeled vehicles will be restricted to access to certain areas. The detailed inspection standards will come out.
Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=24389
- Initiatives
National Energy Bureau appreciates energy-saving vehicles for national energy safety (April 30, 2008)
On the recent International Advanced Diesel Vehicle Technological Strategy Discussion Meeting in 2008, relevant officers from National Energy Bureaus highly appreciated the role of energy-saving vehicles to guarantee national energy safety.
Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=24354
Guangdong to adopt national III oil through 4 stages (May 4, 2008)
Guangdong will promote national III diesel fuel from May 1st on. The whole province will use national III oil by July 1st after 4 stages' efforts. It was regulated in the Vehicle Waste Gas Prevention & Implementation Plan that Guangdong province would adopt national III fuel in the whole nation scale in 2008. In the first stage, Guangzhou will promote national III fuel from May 1st on. In the second stage, 5 cities will promote fuels sales in 5 cities, including Dongguan, Huizhou, Foshan, Zhuhai and Zhongshan. From January 1st 2009, another 9 cities will promote the new fuel standard. From July 1st 2009, all fuel stations will sell national III fuel.
Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=24373
Tianjin: 350 buses and taxies switch to natural gas (May 5, 2008)
There have been 350 buses and taxies switching to natural gas in Tianjin in 2008. 7 public bus transportation lines will be Green Energy Lines. This will a new initiate to reduce urban air pollution. Certain award will be given to those pioneer buses. Tianjin Gas Group will award 2000 fro the first 1000 taxies switching to natural gas and using natural gas more than 3600 cubic meters this year
Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=24392
Liaoning: natural gas vehicles promoted in Chaoyang City (May 5, 2008)
Transportation department in Chaoyang City, Liaoning Province, held a natural gas promotion meeting on April 30th. Chaoyang is planning to build 4 natural gas stations. It is predicated that about 500 taxies will benefit from those new facilities. All 4 new gas stations will finish before 2010, and will serve needs from 3000 taxies and buses.
Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=24390
OTHERS
Exporters confront rising environmental costs (May 1, 2008)
China has conducted special campaigns against polluting companies since last year. And violators have lost more than just export opportunities: blacklisted firms find it difficult to get loans. The State Environmental Protection Administration, now the Ministry of Environmental Protection, along with the central bank and the Banking Regulatory Commission, jointly issued a "green loan" policy in July that banned loans to blacklisted companies.
English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-05/01/content_6656373.htm
Olympics Relevant
Conference hails Green Olympics (April 30, 2008)
Officials from the United Nations and representatives from nongovernmental organizations from China and around the world gathered in Beijing on Monday to pay tribute to the concept of a "Green Olympics" that starts in 100 days. The China NGO Network for International Exchanges and the UN jointly staged the conference, which involved more than 80 Chinese NGOs. Representatives from nongovernmental organizations from North and South America, Europe and Africa also took part.
English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-04/30/content_6653222.htm
Qingdao: buses along the sea should meet Euro III emission standard (May 30, 2008)
To improve air quality for Olympics, Qingdao drew out a special region requiring that vehicles in this region should meet Euro III emission standard. The center of the region is Olympic Sailing Base, and the region covers 6 kilometers surround the base.
Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=24351#
Beijing: Crop straw burning banned in the city and surrounding areas (May 5, 2008)
From the beginning of May to the end of September, crop straw burning will be banned in Beijing and surrounding areas, including Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Liaoning etc. This new regulation is released by Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agriculture, to guarantee air quality during Olympics in Beijing. During the requiring banning period, Ministry of Environment will monitor the crop straw burning condition by satellite remote monitoring technologies.
Chinese link: http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-05-05/021513829040s.shtml