Geothermal could replace coal for heating in China
Smog over Beijing, China (source: flickr/ gmetrail, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
14 Mar 2014
The National Energy Regulator in China estimates that geothermal could replace coal as primary energy source for heating in the country and thereby significantly reduce air pollution in the country.
This week we reported on new legislation aimed at supporting geothermal development in China. Now the country’s Energy Regulator reports that China’s geothermal energy potential equals roughly 853 billion tonnes of standard coal, and has the potential to replace coal in energy consumption.
Current annual exploration of geothermal energy has reached only about three million tonnes, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA).
Exploration of geothermal energy will facilitate the restructuring of energy consumption as coal consumption amounts to about 66 percent of China’s total energy consumption today.
It will also reduce air pollution as one geothermal facility can replace 3,000 tonnes of coal each year, saving over 75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and 30 tonnes of sulfur dioxide.”
Source: Global Times
