Shanghai raises energy efficiency

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Source: CCTV.com | 10-20-2007 09:35

Shanghai is strengthening efforts to improve its industrial structure and encourage more eco-friendly economic development. This echoes Hu Jintao's keynote report, which calls for a conceptual shift focusing on economic development patterns, instead of the previous economic growth patterns.

Workers of the Nanshi Power Plant are busy removing the old power generating facilities, which have been under operation for 20 years. The power generator had the lowest power among all generators in town, and produced 30 percent more pollutants than generators with higher power.

Lu Keren, Director of Shanghai Nanshi Power Plant,said, "We really think the equipments are out-of-date. They don't meet the requirements of eco-friendly economic development."

Nanshi Power Plant marks the first local plant that closed down due to environmental concerns. By 2010, the city plans to close 24 sets of power generation facilities with below 125,000 kilowatts. In the mean time, equipments with greater efficiencies are on the way, as two sets of power generators above 1 million kilowatts each will be introduced next year.

Besides the power industry, the Shanghai Economic Committee mapped out an energy consumption control plan among the city's 79 energy-consumption tycoons.

Officials say they plan to reduce the industry energy consumption by 6 percent this year.

Chen Jinhai, Environmental Protection official, said, "Those companies are bearing the eco-friendly concept in mind. That's much different from the previous situation of development with no idea of energy conservation."