N Video from Nanfang Metropolis Daily:

Liaoning province is renowned for its abundant energy resources. However, it faces pressure to reduce carbon emissions and tackle environmental pollution, among other pressing issues. What efforts will Liaoning make to accelerate energy mix readjustment and achieve a transition toward green and low-carbon practices? Thank you.

Wang Jian:

I'll answer this question. As the journalist said, as a heavy-industry base, Liaoning province faces the challenge of accelerating the transition to green and low-carbon practices due to its significant and intense energy consumption. In recent years, we have upheld the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and have intensified efforts to coordinately promote carbon emission reduction, pollution reduction, green development expansion and economic growth, so as to make "green" a defining feature of the full revitalization of Liaoning province.

We have made substantial efforts in the following two areas:

First, we intensified our efforts to control and reduce carbon emissions at the source. Recognizing our high proportion of fossil fuel consumption, we have significantly increased the utilization of wind and solar energy in a concentrated and efficient manner, aiming to build up the province's strength in clean energy production. Currently, clean energy accounts for 49.5% of the province's total installed power generation capacity, with this share expected to exceed 50% this year. By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the proportion of the installed capacity of clean energy is expected to reach 56.8%. While ensuring energy supply, we are actively promoting the construction of smart power grids to better manage clean energy resources, encompassing grid connection, distribution, and control. Moreover, we have been implementing pilot projects for establishing integrated energy systems, enabling the comprehensive and coordinated arrangement of power sources, grids, loads, and energy storage to ensure effective generation, transmission, and utilization of new energy.

In order to build Liaoning province into a clean energy powerhouse, we will leverage its strengths in energy equipment and scientific research in the energy sector. This includes bolstering specific sectors, such as nuclear energy, power transmission and transformation, hydrogen energy, and energy storage. Additionally, we will implement new-type energy storage pilots for lithium-ion batteries, vanadium redox flow batteries, compressed air technologies, and sodium-ion batteries. Furthermore, we will actively promote the development of industrial chains related to hydrogen energy production, storage, transportation, and application. All these efforts will help ensure national energy security in an all-round manner.

Second, we prioritize carbon emission reduction in existing sectors. Liaoning's refining capacity ranks second nationwide, and its steel and iron production capacity ranks fourth. While our petrochemical and metallurgical industries are competitive, they are also top priorities for carbon emission reduction. We will promote large-scale equipment upgrades to accelerate technological transformations in the petrochemical, metallurgical, and other manufacturing industries, advancing toward higher-end, more intelligent, and greener development. Last year, a total of 537 key projects for ultra-low emission transformation were completed in steel and iron enterprises, and the rate of fine chemicals in the province's chemical industry reached 46.2%, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from 2022. Moreover, we have implemented rigorous market access controls and have resolved to halt the blind development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. We have stepped up efforts to promote energy-saving renovations of buildings and facilitate the transition to green and low-carbon transportation, aiming to ensure a lighter industrial structure, a greener economic model, and higher-quality development.

That's all for my introduction. Thank you.