Power System Decarbonization Pathways in Northwestern China

The document examines the transition from coal to renewable energy in northwestern China, specifically focusing on Shaanxi province. It argues that because provincial grids are the core units of China's power system planning, customized pathways are necessary based on regional resource endowments and economic structures. The report provides six recommendations for Shaanxi to achieve early carbon peaking, including creating market conditions for renewables, accelerating energy storage, exploring demand-side flexibility, managing the coal power transition, improving interprovincial clean energy exports via HVDC lines, and decoupling economic growth from coal investment.

• Shaanxi province is identified as a representative case for northwestern China because it possesses the region's highest GDP, largest population, and the highest proportion of coal within its power generation mix.
• The northwestern region of China serves as a critical energy base, exporting approximately 28 percent of its total power generation to other provinces, a figure expected to rise with new energy bases and cross-regional transmission lines.
• To achieve early carbon peaking, the report recommends that Shaanxi implement six specific strategies: accelerating renewable energy and energy storage through market mechanisms, coordinating supply and demand volatility via demand-side flexibility, ensuring a safe coal power transition, increasing clean energy exports through new HVDC lines, and decoupling economic growth from coal investment.

APA

RMI (2022). Power System Decarbonization Pathways in Northwestern China. https://rmi.org/resources/power-system-decarbonization-pathways-china/

Chicago

RMI. Power System Decarbonization Pathways in Northwestern China. 2022. https://rmi.org/resources/power-system-decarbonization-pathways-china/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Power System Decarbonization Pathways in Northwestern China |date=15 December 2022 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/power-system-decarbonization-pathways-china/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2022power, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Power System Decarbonization Pathways in Northwestern China}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2022}, month = dec, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/power-system-decarbonization-pathways-china/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }