The National Energy Administration recently issued a reply letter regarding Proposal No. 02984 (Economic Development Category No. 196) of the Fifth Session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
The reply letter states that the National Energy Administration will promptly study and issue policy documents related to integrated energy services, and work with relevant departments to promote the implementation of tasks outlined in the "14th Five-Year Plan" series of energy plans, guiding and promoting the growth of integrated energy services to assist in achieving the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality through multi-energy synergy for carbon reduction.
The letter mentions that developing integrated energy services is an important approach to promoting collaborative carbon reduction in multi-energy systems through market-oriented means.
On one hand, the Administration is studying and formulating policy documents to vigorously develop integrated energy services, focusing on optimizing and improving energy efficiency and benefits. Through the integration and innovation of energy technologies and next-generation information technologies, it aims to realize collaborative interaction and intelligent management of multiple energy sources, as well as two-way interaction between energy supply and demand, providing users with more economical, reliable, environmentally friendly, and low-carbon energy services.
On the other hand, tasks related to integrated energy services are deployed in documents such as the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for the Modern Energy System* and the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for Renewable Energy Development*. These documents propose leveraging energy networks such as smart distribution grids, urban gas networks, and heating pipelines, integrating advanced energy technologies (including renewable energy, energy storage, and flexible networks) and interconnected communication technologies to promote efficient and flexible integration of distributed renewable energy and the integration of production and consumption. They also call for building regional integrated energy systems with combined supply of cooling, heating, water, electricity, and gas, and explicitly propose fostering and expanding emerging market entities such as integrated energy service providers.
The full text is as follows:
I. Regarding Promoting Energy Structure Transformation
Promoting green and low-carbon energy development and accelerating the construction of a modern energy system are key to achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality. On one hand, with the approval of the State Council, the Administration, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, issued the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for the Modern Energy System*, which systematically deploys goals and tasks for accelerating the construction of a modern energy system and promoting high-quality energy development during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, focusing on the stability and security of energy supply chains, green and low-carbon energy transformation, optimization of energy development layout, and improvement of the modernization level of the energy industry chain. On the other hand, fully aligning with the national top-level design documents for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the Administration, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, formulated an implementation plan for the energy sector to achieve the carbon peak goal, proposing measures for adjusting and optimizing the energy structure and controlling fossil energy consumption based on national conditions. In addition, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, it issued the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for Renewable Energy Development* and formulated the *Implementation Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of New Energy in the New Era*, which was forwarded by the General Office of the State Council, further specifying goals and tasks for developing renewable energy such as hydropower, wind power, photovoltaics, and biomass energy.
Going forward, the Administration will work with relevant departments to effectively implement documents such as the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for the Modern Energy System*, based on resource endowments, adhering to the principles of "establishing first, then abolishing" and overall planning, steadily and orderly advancing green and low-carbon energy transformation, and promoting the timely achievement of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.
II. Regarding Digital and Intelligent Upgrading of the Energy Industry Chain
Accelerating the digital and intelligent upgrading of the energy industry is an important task for improving the modernization level of the energy industry chain during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. First, the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for the Modern Energy System* focuses on smart energy development, proposing three key tasks: digitalizing energy infrastructure, building smart energy platforms and data centers, and implementing smart energy demonstration projects, with digital twins of smart energy systems identified as a direction for smart energy demonstration projects. Second, the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for Scientific and Technological Innovation in the Energy Sector*, jointly issued with the Ministry of Science and Technology, includes a dedicated chapter on technological innovation tasks for the digital and intelligent transformation of energy systems, formulating a technology roadmap and clarifying policies and measures to support technological innovation, demonstration, testing, and application promotion. Third, the implementation plan for the energy sector to achieve the carbon peak goal proposes tasks such as strengthening carbon footprint monitoring and management for energy enterprises and projects.
Going forward, the Administration will work with relevant departments to accelerate the application of digital technologies. On one hand, it will explore the use of mechanisms such as "unveiling the list to recruit talents" and "competition" to establish a number of national energy R&D and innovation platforms focusing on the digital and intelligent transformation of energy systems. On the other hand, it will promote the digital and intelligent upgrading of the entire energy industry chain, improve the intelligent operation level of energy systems, and realize full-process energy use and carbon emission monitoring and management.
III. Regarding Strengthening Independent Integration and Control of Power Sources and Grids
The Administration attaches great importance to strengthening grid-source coordination and improving the safe operation level of power grids. First, documents such as the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for the Modern Energy System* and the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for Renewable Energy Development* propose improving the accuracy of wind and photovoltaic power forecasting, improving grid-connection standards, and building system-friendly new energy stations. Second, the *Regulations on the Management of Power Grid-Connected Operation* were issued, putting forward technical guidance and management requirements for grid-connected entities such as new energy and new-type energy storage. Third, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, it issued the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for the Development of New-Type Energy Storage*, which aims to promote the coordinated and optimized operation of new-type energy storage with new energy and conventional power sources, and rationally deploy grid-side energy storage to improve power security and system efficiency. Fourth, the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for Scientific and Technological Innovation in the Energy Sector* includes technological innovation tasks such as safe and efficient operation technologies for power systems, intelligent dispatch and operation control, and intelligent operation and maintenance technologies for power grids. Fifth, the *"14th Five-Year Plan" Action Plan for Electric Power Safety Production* includes a dedicated chapter on improving safety guarantees for energy transformation, putting forward specific requirements for enhancing the grid's capacity to safely absorb new energy, strengthening safety guarantees for new energy development, and ensuring the safe operation of new power systems.
Going forward, the Administration will work with relevant departments to continue promoting grid-source coordination, strengthen technological innovation and policy improvement, promote the integrated development of grid-source coordination, and continuously enhance the grid's risk prevention capabilities and safe operation level.
IV. Regarding Establishing an Intelligent Decision-Making Mechanism for Source-Grid-Load-Storage Integration
Promoting the development of source-grid-load-storage integration and multi-energy complementarity helps improve the clean utilization of energy and the operational efficiency of power systems. In February 2021, the Administration, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, issued the *Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Development of Power Source-Grid-Load-Storage Integration and Multi-Energy Complementarity* and the *Notice on Promoting the Development of Power Source-Grid-Load-Storage Integration and Multi-Energy Complementarity in 2021*, guiding localities to orderly promote the planning and implementation of such projects. The *"14th Five-Year Plan" for the Modern Energy System* proposes innovating planning, construction, management mechanisms for source-grid-load-storage integration and multi-energy complementarity projects, promoting integrated project planning, construction, operation, and management; and deploying regional (provincial), municipal (county), and park (residential) level source-grid-load-storage integration demonstrations, as well as multi-energy complementarity demonstrations such as wind-solar-storage, wind-solar-hydro (storage), and wind-solar-thermal (storage) integration. Since 2021, the construction of integrated energy bases such as Longdong in Gansu and Hami in Xinjiang (integrating wind, solar, thermal, and storage) has been promoted, and planning and construction of comprehensive energy bases in Ningxia and western Inner Mongolia are currently underway. Some regions have carried out source-grid-load-storage integration projects based on local conditions.
Going forward, the Administration will work with relevant departments to improve policies and mechanisms for source-grid-load-storage integration and multi-energy complementarity, continue guiding localities to orderly advance project construction, focus on improving system operation efficiency, and continuously enhance the development and utilization of new energy.
V. Regarding Implementing Collaborative Carbon Reduction Regulation for Multi-Energy Systems in a Market Environment
Developing integrated energy services is an important market-oriented approach to promoting collaborative carbon reduction in multi-energy systems. On one hand, the Administration is studying and formulating policy documents to vigorously develop integrated energy services, focusing on optimizing energy efficiency and benefits. Through the integration and innovation of energy technologies and next-generation information technologies, it aims to realize collaborative interaction and intelligent management of multiple energy sources, as well as two-way interaction between energy supply and demand, providing users with more economical, reliable, environmentally friendly, and low-carbon energy services. On the other hand, tasks related to integrated energy services are deployed in documents such as the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for the Modern Energy System* and the *"14th Five-Year Plan" for Renewable Energy Development*, proposing leveraging energy networks such as smart distribution grids, urban gas networks, and heating pipelines, integrating advanced energy technologies (including renewable energy, energy storage, and flexible networks) and interconnected communication technologies to promote efficient and flexible integration of distributed renewable energy and the integration of production and consumption, building regional integrated energy systems with combined supply of cooling, heating, water, electricity, and gas, and explicitly proposing fostering and expanding emerging market entities such as integrated energy service providers.
Going forward, the Administration will promptly study and issue policy documents related to integrated energy services, work with relevant departments to promote the implementation of tasks outlined in the "14th Five-Year Plan" series of energy plans, guide and promote the growth of integrated energy services, and assist in achieving the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality through multi-energy synergy for carbon reduction.
(Source: National Energy Administration)
