DOE Helping to Green China
November 18, 2008
DOE experts started the first joint DOE/China plant assessment at one of China’s largest industrial plants. This is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DOE and China’s National Development and Reform Commission that calls for partnering to improve China’s industrial energy efficiency. The MOU includes projects for DOE to perform 6-12 pilot assessments, train Chinese engineers in plant decision tools, and compare U.S. and Chinese energy policies and energy intensive plants.
The 5-day plant assessment is at Jinyuan Chemical Company in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province. The plant makes ammonia, methanol, and other chemical products using coal and electricity. DOE’s energy experts and Jinyuan’s engineers are focusing on steam and other utility systems to identify opportunities to save energy and carbon. The assessment is based on the successful Save Energy Now program where DOE has conducted over 675 assessments on large plants in the U.S. saving an average of about 8-10% of the plant’s total energy. Total energy savings of over 90 trillion Btu and costs savings over $850 million have been identified since the Save Energy Now program started in 2006.
China has had the largest growth of energy use and CO2 generation in the world in recent years and will be a critical part of future international agreements to reduce carbon and energy use worldwide. This cooperative partnership in industrial energy efficiency has the opportunity to support China’s goal for reducing energy intensity by 20% in their top 1,000 most intensive plants and to provide technological options for continued energy savings in the future.
