China’s energy transitions for carbon neutrality: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The pledge of achieving carbon peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060 is a strategic decision that responds to the inherent needs of China’s sustainable and high-quality development, and is an important driving force for promoting China’s ecological civilization constructions. As the consumption of fossil fuel energy is responsible for more than 90% of China’s greenhouse gases emissions, policies focusing on energy transition are vital for China accomplishing the goal of carbon neutrality. Considering the fact that China’s energy structure is dominated by fossil fuels, especially coal, it is urgent to accelerate the low-carbon transition of the energy system in a relatively short time, and dramatically increase the proportion of clean energy in the future energy supply. Although China has made notable progress in the clean energy transition in the past, its path to carbon neutrality still faces many significant challenges. During the process of energy transformation, advanced technologies and greater investment will play essential parts in this extensive and profound systemic reform for China’s economy and society. In the meantime, these changes will create immense economic opportunities and geopolitical advantages.

The Role of Chinese Regimes of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative in the Transformation of Its Energy Diplomacy: Quest for Economic Sustainability

“…Even after diversifying energy supplies and replacing coal and oil with relatively minimal but growing amounts of cleaner and environment-friendly fuels, Beijing set the target of keeping coal concentration in its primary energy mix under 58 per cent for 2020 [46]. China's consumption of coal for 2019, 2020, and 2021 falls well within its set targets [47]. A gradual increase has been recorded in coal consumption from 2016 to 2020 after many years of decline, as shown in Figure 2.…”

Microscopic Mechanism of Tunable Thermal Conductivity in Carbon Nanotube-Geopolymer Nanocomposites

“…The geopolymer (GP) composed of three-dimensional (3D) amorphous networks with [AlO 4 ] 5– and [SiO 4 ] 4– tetrahedrons has shown excellent mechanical properties, good chemical resistance, long-term durability, and low shrinkage . Compared with ordinary portland cement, the GP does not require a high calcination temperature, and thus, the production process can reduce CO 2 emissions by 70–80%. − Meanwhile, the source materials for synthesizing GP are very cheap, including metakaolin, fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, etc . These unique properties expand the application of GP in fields of building materials, aerospace materials, and fire-resistance materials, in which the thermal conductivity of GP plays an important role.…”

Daytime Sub-Ambient Radiative Cooling with Vivid Structural Colors Mediated by Coupled Nanocavities

“…Nowadays, the demand for cooling is significantly increasing due to the climate change caused by global warming. 1 Among many others, daytime radiative cooling is a promising passive cooling technology that can realize sub-ambient cooling of terrestrial objects. To achieve sub-ambient temperature under direct sunlight, a daytime radiative cooler requires high solar reflectivity (mostly in 0.3−2.5 μm) and high emissivity at midinfrared wavelengths (especially within the primary atmospheric window 8−13 μm).…”

“…Nowadays, the demand for cooling is significantly increasing due to the climate change caused by global warming . Among many others, daytime radiative cooling is a promising passive cooling technology that can realize sub-ambient cooling of terrestrial objects.…”