CHINA: 13th Five-Year Plan For Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China (2016-2020)

Meta Data
Draft: 
No
Revision of previous policy?: 
No
Effective Start Year: 
2016
Effective End Year: 
2020
Scope: 
National
Document Type: 
Plan/Strategy
Economic Sector: 
Power, Multi-Sector
Energy Types: 
Power, Renewable, Bioenergy, Hydropower, Solar, Wind, Other
Issued by: 
National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)
Notes: 
Translated by Compilation and Translation Bureau, Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Beijing, China
Overall Summary: 
Formulated on the basis of the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) for the 13th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China (2016–2020), the 13th Five-Year Plan sets forth China’s strategic intentions and defines its major objectives, tasks, and measures for economic and social development. This plan is to serve as a guide to action for market entities, an important basis for government in performing its duties, and a common vision to be shared among the people of China.
Efficiency
EE priorities: 
We will support [...] efficient energy conservation [...].---We will promote society-wide energy conservation, make comprehensive efforts to promote energy conservation in industry, construction, transportation, public institutions, and other areas, and launch projects to upgrade boilers, furnaces, lighting products, and electric motors and recover waste heat for household heating.---Encourage the use of energy-efficient products and services in enterprises and households;
EE targets: 
Ensure average coal consumption per kilowatt-hour is kept below 310 grams in existing power plants and below 300 grams in new power plants.---We will ensure China’s total energy consumption stays below five billion metric tons of standard coal.
EE action plans: 
We will enforce strict compulsory standards for [...] energy consumption [...].---We will make headway in the low-carbon development of transportation by seeing that resources are used intensively and economically and by promoting the application of standard modern transportation equipment and energy-efficient, environmentally friendly means of transport. [...]---[Improve demand-side management of electric power [...].---We will launch the “100, 1,000, 10,000” energy conservation initiative to put the top 100 energy consuming enterprises in China under national regulation, the top 1,000 energy consuming enterprises under the regulation of their respective provincial- level governments, and other high energy consuming enterprises under the regulation of lower-level governments; encourage enterprises to take voluntary measures to reduce energy consumption; facilitate the development of energy management systems, energy measurement systems, and online energy consumption monitoring systems; and carry out energy reviews and efficiency evaluations. [...].---We will promote energy-conserving, low-carbon electric power dispatching.---We will impose binding limits on the total consumption and the intensity of consumption of energy [...].---We will improve standards for conserving energy [...].---Organize the implementation of projects, such as those to improve energy systems, upgrade the energy-efficient electric motor system, demonstrate the industrial application of energy-saving technologies, reduce coal consumption and replace it with alternative energy sources, and promote eco-lighting.---Control the aggregate coal consumption of all regions, with the focus on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and adjacent areas, the Yangtze River delta, the Pearl River delta, and northeast China;[...].
EE industry standards: 
We will [...] ensure that energy conservation standards cover all key industries and equipment.
EE building standards: 
We will work to raise building energy efficiency and initiate ecofriendliness across the entire construction chain.---We will raise [...] raise building energy efficiency standards.
EE transport standards : 
Implement national-VI emission standards and corresponding national fuel product standards;
EE financial incentives: 
We will establish sound mechanisms through which the central government can assess and reward the energy conservation and environmental protection efforts of local governments, and broaden the scope of comprehensive demonstrations of financial policies designed to promote energy conservation and emissions reduction [...].---Support the demonstration of comprehensive energy efficiency improvement efforts by 500 major energy consumers;
Cooperation in EE: 
Implement a plan for catching up with and exceeding international energy efficiency standards with a focus on six major energy-intensive industries – the electric power, iron and steel, building materials, chemical, petroleum and petrochemical, and nonferrous metals industries;
Renewable Energy
RE priorities: 
Continue to promote wind power, photovoltaic power development and actively support solar heating power.---Improve wind, solar, biomass power supporting policies.
RE targets: 
Non-fossil energy (% of primary energy consumption) 12%(2015) 15%(2020).
RE action plans: 
[W]ith a focus on building main hydropower plants in key water basins, we will work systematically to develop hydropower resources in the southwest.---We will continue to give impetus to the development of wind and photovoltaic power and provide strong support for solar thermal energy.--We will improve supportive policies for power generation from wind, solar, and biomass energy [...].---Build the national new energy integrated demonstration zone in Ningxia, and actively move forward with the development of demonstration zones for renewable energy such as those in Qinghai and Zhangjiakou.---Support the development of clean energy such as wind power and hydropower;
RE public awareness/promotional programmes: 
Develop renewable energy suited to local circumstances and develop clean energy demonstration towns and villages;
Environment
Energy environmental priorities: 
[B]uild a clean, low carbon, safe and efficient modern energy system [...].---We will control the emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases.
Pollution level targets, PM10, PM2.5, SOx, NOx: 
We will control total emissions of volatile organic compounds in chief regions and industries to bring about a nationwide drop in total emissions of over 10%.---Coordinate efforts to prevent air pollution, implement gasification projects in key areas of heavy air pollution, and ensure that the concentration of fine particulate matter is reduced by at least 25%.
Pollution control action plans: 
We will formulate a plan for ensuring air quality standards in cities are met, strictly enforce obligatory targets [...] and channel greater effort into reducing fine particulate matter emissions in key regions. We will establish a monitoring system to ensure that environmental protection standards for vehicles, watercraft, and fuel oil are achieved. We will work to increase the proportion of natural gas users in cities.---We will promote the use of alternative clean energy in urban “villages” and urban- rural fringes, and replace small and medium coal-fired facilities.[...]---Aggregate emissions of total nitrogen will be controlled in all cities at and above prefectural level that are situated along the coastline or along rivers that flow into eutrophicated lakes. Chief industries will be transformed to achieve clean production.---Control the aggregate coal consumption of all regions, with the focus on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and adjacent areas, the Yangtze River delta, the Pearl River delta, and northeast China;---Promote the use of natural gas in place of coal in major cities, increasing natural gas consumption by 45 billion cubic meters and eliminating 189,000 tons of coalfired boiler capacity;---Step up the removal of old or high-emissions vehicles from the roads [...].---Implement national-VI emission standards and corresponding national fuel product standards;---We will bring carbon emissions in power, steel, building materials, chemical, and other major carbon-emitting industries under effective control[...].
Decarbonization strategy: 
Promote the use of new-energy vehicles;---Encourage the use of new-energy vehicles for urban public transport and taxi services;---Ensure the cumulative total production and sales figures for new-energy vehicles in China reach five million;---We will make headway in the low-carbon development of transportation by seeing that resources are used intensively and economically and by promoting the application of standard modern transportation equipment and energy-efficient, environmentally friendly means of transport. [...]--- Ensure average coal consumption per kilowatt-hour is kept below 310 grams in existing power plants and below 300 grams in new power plants.---Build a number of exemplary green cities, eco-friendly garden cities, and forest cities by: promoting the construction of eco-friendly buildings; Making green transport universal; Spreading the use of supply systems for new energy such as distributed energy resources and shallow geothermal energy; Working faster to achieve the electrification of public transport;[...]---We will promote energy-conserving, low-carbon electric power dispatching.---We will [...] promote low-carbon development in industry, energy, construction, transport, and other key sectors. We will support leading development regions in becoming the first to reach their carbon dioxide emissions peak. We will push forward pilot programs for low-carbon development and demonstrate the establishment of near-zero carbon emissions zones.---We will step up efforts to expand the use of low- carbon technologies and products.---We will advance systems for green labeling, green certification, and green government procurement in a coordinated way.
Carbon markets: 
We will establish [...] the right to emit carbon, develop markets for the trading of these rights, and create new mechanisms in this area for compensated use, budgetary management, investment, and financing [...].---We will promote the establishment of a national carbon emissions trading scheme, and implement systems for carbon emissions reporting, inspection, verification, and quota management for major carbon-emitters. We will improve statistical accounting, performance evaluation, and accountability systems as well as carbon emission standards.
Green finance: 
We will establish a green finance system, develop green credit and bonds, and launch green development funds.
Land use change for energy production purposes: 
We will coordinate the development of hydropower with ecological conservation while giving priority to the latter[...].
Energy-water nexus: 
We will coordinate the development of hydropower with ecological conservation while giving priority to the latter[...].
Cooperation in env.: 
[...] We will ensure the strict and trans-regional joint enforcement of environmental protection legislation, and strengthen oversight over law enforcement and investigations into accountability. [...]---While working hard to both adapt to and slow down climate change, we will take active steps to control carbon emissions, fulfill our commitments for emissions reduction, increase our capability to adapt to climate change, and fully participate in global climate governance, thus making a contribution to the response to global climate change.---We will take an active part in negotiations on global climate change and work toward a fair and equitable system of global climate governance based on mutually beneficial cooperation. We will help deepen bilateral and multilateral dialogue, exchange, and practical cooperation on climate change. We will ensure the South-South Cooperation Fund on Climate Change fully plays its role and support other developing countries in improving their capacity to deal with climate change.
Pricing
Energy pricing: 
[…] Reduce governmental intervention in pricing mechanism, fully liberalize the prices of goods and services in areas such as electricity, petroleum, natural gas, […]. Improve the electricity pricing system[…]
Cooperation in energy pricing: 
We will reduce the energy costs of enterprises by better linking domestic and international energy prices as well as domestic coal and electricity prices.
Energy Supply and Infrastructure
Energy supply priorities: 
We will support [...] systems for high-efficiency energy storage and distributed energy, [...].---[I]mproving the energy supply mix[...]---We will build a modern energy system that is clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient, and will safeguard the country’s energy security.---Accelerate the construction of pumped storage power station, leading hydropower stations, natural gas peak power station and other high-quality peak power to promote energy storage power plant and energy efficiency demonstration plant and projects to strengthen a variety of power and energy storage facilities integrated complementary to improve power system regulation and operation effectiveness.---We will coordinate the development of multiple forms of transportation for coal, electricity, oil, and gas; step up efforts to build energy storage and peak shaving facilities;---Strengthen integration and complementarity between different power sources and storage facilities; Make power systems more adaptive and efficient.---Strengthen work on building reserves for refined oil products; Build natural gas reserves, increasing the scale of gas storage and emergency response capacity for gas peak shaving; Build coal storage and transportation facilities in areas where coal is in short supply and in coal distribution centers, and improve the emergency coal reserve system; [...].---We will optimize the development of national comprehensive energy centers [...]. We will restrict coal resource development in the east of the country, limit it in the central and northeastern regions, and optimize it in the west; [...]. We will strengthen onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration and exploitation, take well ordered measures to relax control over mining rights, and actively exploit natural gas coal seam gas, and shale oil and gas. We will move forward with the transformation and upgrading of the oil refining industry, implement an action plan for improving the quality of refined petroleum products, and develop new clean oils such as biofuels.
Energy mix: 
Non-fossil energy (% of primary energy consumption) 12%(2015) 15%(2020).---Installed capacity of nuclear power plants in operation will reach 58 gigawatts, with over 30 gigawatts of nuclear-generation capacity under construction;
Infrastructure development priorities: 
Promote the optimization and upgrading of energy infrastructure.---[W]ith a focus on building main hydropower plants in key water basins, we will work systematically to develop hydropower resources in the southwest.---Begin construction on 60 gigawatts of regular hydropower capacity, giving priority to hydropower development in the southwest;---Coordinate the development of end-use markets and power transmission routes; take ordered steps to optimize the development of wind energy and photovoltaic energy in the northern, northeastern, and northwestern regions and in coastal areas;---Accelerate the development of dispersed wind power and distributed photovoltaic power in the central, eastern, and southern regions;---Complete the Sanmen and Haiyang AP1000 projects; § Develop demonstration projects for Hualong-1 nuclear technology in Fuqing, Fujian and in Fangchenggang, Guangxi; § Begin construction on the CAP1400 demonstration project in Rongcheng, Shandong; § Begin construction on a number of coastal nuclear power plants and accelerate construction on the third phase of the Tianwan nuclear power plant;---Build electricity transmission routes for hydropower bases and large coalfired power bases and, while building the 12 power transmission routes included in the action plan for air pollution prevention and control, focus on constructing power transmission routes from the southwestern, northwestern, northern, and northeastern regions;
Cross-border energy infrastructure: 
[C]omplete construction on the Inner Mongolia-Jiangxi north-to-south coal line; and optimize the construction of main power grids and trans-regional power transmission routes. We will accelerate the construction of strategic land corridors for importing oil and gas. ---Step up work on the development of strategic land corridors for importing oil and gas and related trunk pipeline networks in the northwestern, northeastern, and southwestern regions;
Regional integration priorities: 
[W]ork to ensure regional interconnection of oil and gas pipelines.---[M]ove faster to develop safe and reliable modern energy storage and transportation networks which enable integrated energy development and free-flowing domestic and international energy transportation.---We will strengthen efforts to build trans-regional core energy transportation networks;[...].---We will channel energy into realizing mutually beneficial cooperation basedon deeper integration and bringing about a new stage in China’s opening up.
Cooperation in connectivity: 
We will channel energy into realizing mutually beneficial cooperation based on deeper integration and bringing about a new stage in China’s opening up.---We will encourage more of China’s equipment, technology, standards, and services to go global by engaging in international cooperation on production capacity and equipment manufacturing through overseas investment, project contracting, technology cooperation, equipment exporting, and other means, with a focus on industries such [...], electric power.---We will improve the bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms of the Belt and Road Initiative focusing on policy communication, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, capital flow, and people-to- people exchanges. [...] We will strengthen international cooperation on energy and resources and production chains, and increase local processing and conversion.
Trade
Bi- and multi-lateral energy agreements: 
We will ensure full implementation of our free trade agreements with the Republic of Korea and with Australia as well as the Protocol to Amend the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between China and ASEAN.
Investment
Intellectual property rights: 
We will strengthen foreign-related legal services and put in place an assistance mechanism for the cross-border protection of intellectual property rights.
Investment climate development: 
We will encourage more foreign capital investment in sectors such as [...], new technology, energy conservation and environmental protection,[...].---We will work to build a market that operates on the basis of fair competition, a government that operates cleanly and efficiently, policies and legislation that are marked by fairness and transparency, and a cultural environment that is open and inclusive. [...].
Overseas investment support: 
We will encourage Chinese financial institutions and enterprises to obtain financing in foreign markets.[...].
Governance
Energy management principles: 
We will actively and prudently relieve Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as China’s capital and work to lower the population density of its main districts. We will focus on the relocation of energy-intensive [...] enterprises. [...].---Develop renewable energy suited to local circumstances [...];---Promote the development of [...] solar power-based, [...] poverty alleviation, to help more than 30 million people lift themselves out of poverty.
Public database availability: 
[...] We will ensure that government information systems and public data are interconnected, open, and shared by moving faster to establish an open national platform for government data. We will create a government data release and sharing catalogue and publically release data resources in accordance with the law. [...].
Technology
Clean energy technology priorities: 
We will move faster to make breakthroughs in core technologies in fields such as next generation information and communications, new energy, [...].---[...]We will foster strategic industries in the fields of [...] nuclear technology.---Make breakthroughs in and promote the industrial application of key technologies such as next generation photovoltaics, high-efficiency, high-wattage wind power generation, biomass energy, hydrogen power and fuel cells, smart grids, and newtypes of energy storage devices; § Facilitate the comprehensive utilization of distributed new energy technologies;---We will accelerate the development of biomass and geothermal energy and actively exploit tidal power in coastal areas;Promote the large-scale development of related techniques and equipment.---We will accelerate smart development across the entire energy sector and all areas of its operation in order to make energy development more sustainable and adaptable.---We will promote significant integration of new technologies between the energy sector and other sectors such as information technology;---[A]nd build an energy internet that enables the coordinated development, integration, and complementarity of power generation, transmission, loading, and storage.---[S]upport the transformation and development of the energy industry.---Support the development of clean energy such as wind power and hydropower;---Strengthen the training of nuclear accident emergency response and assistance teams.
Clean energy technology transfer: 
We will encourage more of China’s equipment, technology, standards, and services to go global by engaging in international cooperation on production capacity and equipment manufacturing through overseas investment, project contracting, technology cooperation, equipment exporting, and other means, with a focus on industries such [...], electric power.
Clean energy technology deployment: 
[A]ccelerate the development of [...] next generation nuclear power equipment, small nuclear power systems, [...].---Develop all-electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles with a focus on making advancements in key technological areas such as battery energy density and battery temperature adaptability;---Facilitate the development of a network of charging facilities and services that are compatible with each other and come under unified standards;---Focusing particularly on the building of a coastal nuclear power plant belt, we will ensure adequate safety measures are taken in developing demonstration initiatives and projects in nuclear power generation. ---Carry out solar thermal energy demonstration projects.---We will develop and spur the adoption of energy- conserving technologies and products and demonstrate the application of major energy-conserving technologies.---Step up development of green mining;---We will improve grid policies for electricity generated from coal gangue, leftover heat and pressure, waste incineration, and methane.
Low-emission and cleaner coal technology: 
We will [...]step up efforts to ensure the cleaner and more efficient use of coal. We will restrict coal resource development in the east of the country, limit it in the central and northeastern regions, and optimize it in the west; make progress in achieving more eco-friendly exploitation and transformations of large coal production centers; and encourage the application of new technologies in the development of coal based power generation.---Implement the upgrading action plan for energy conservation and emissions reductions in coal based power generation: § Carry out nationwide upgrades of coal-fired power units to achieve ultra-low emissions and energy efficiency; [...] § Encourage the use of backpressure thermal power units for heating and develop combined multi-source heating, cooling, and power systems; § Increase the proportion of coal used for power generation.---700℃ ultra-supercritical coal-fired power generation
Low-emission and cleaner oil technology: 
[D]evelop new clean oils such as biofuels.
Natural gas transportation technology: 
Step up work on the development of strategic land corridors for importing oil and gas and related trunk pipeline networks in the northwestern, northeastern, and southwestern regions; § Improve the backbone pipeline networks for natural gas transmission, including the west-to-east gas transmission project, the Shaanxi-Beijing gas pipeline, and the project to transport natural gas from Sichuan to the central and eastern regions.
R&D pollution abatement: 
We will accelerate research and development on and the industrial application of new technologies and equipment, such as those for [...], small gas turbines, fine particulate matter control, vehicle exhaust emissions purification,[...] coordinated multi-pollutant treatment [...]
Industrialization support: 
We will improve the environmental credentials management system for enterprises and encourage the development of professional services for energy conservation [...].---We will promote the development of large energy conservation and environmental protection enterprises that are able to compete internationally, and encourage advanced, practical energy conserving and environmental protection technologies and products to reach out to the world.