Energy Case Study - China

Question 1

Describe Chinas energy mix

Answer 1

64% Coal
19% Oil
8% Hydroelectric
6% Natural gas
2% Renewables
1% Nuclear

Question 2

What were the three objectives of Chinas 5th Five year plan

Answer 2

Objective A: Reduce energy use per unit GDP by 20%
Objective B: Ensure a more secure supply of energy
Objective C: Growth of renewable energy projects

Question 3

What is Chinas GNI per capita?

Answer 3

$10,410

Question 4

What is Chinas energy use per capita in tonnes of oil equivalent?

Answer 4

2.23

Question 5

Was objective A met?

Answer 5

Energy use fell from 0.8 TOE generating $1000 of GDP in 1980 to 0.25 TOE generating $1000 of GDP in 2010.
Forecasted to fall below 0.15 TOE by 2020, below global average.

Question 6

How much of Chinas emissions come from coal?

Answer 6

80% of carbon dioxide emissions.
85% of sulphur dioxide emissions.

Question 7

Has China been successful in meeting objective B?

Answer 7

Facilities built that can store 500 million barrels of crude oil
22.5GW of power from 3 gorges dam
Increased demand for energy has to be filled with imported oil, oil imports rose to almost 12 million barrels a day.

Question 8

Downsides to the 3 gorges dam.

Answer 8

1million people had to be relocated, mostly to infertile land at higher elevations.
Frequent landslides
Frequent dredging has to be done to prevent silt build up
Total cost estimates at $70 billion

Question 9

Benefits of 3 Gorges dam

Answer 9

10 million protected from flooding
Largest HEP source globally at 22.5GW
Improves the navigational capacity of Yangtze River

Question 10

Arguments that objective C was achieved

Answer 10

3 gorges dam was built, worlds largest HEP source at 22.5GW
Went from almost no solar panels in 2000 to a 1/4 of worlds total in 2020
Worlds largest manufacture of solar panels
Aimed to achieve net zero by 2060, but won’t begin trying to reduce emissions until 2030

Question 11

Arguments that Objective C wasn’t achieved

Answer 11

China is still building new coal power stations, coal industry is huge employer.
Consumes 4bn TOE of oil
Yangtze River dolphin hasn’t been seen since 2006, clearly shows environment isn’t a priority.
Any increase to environmental sustainability is a by product of the priorities of economic growth and increase energy security.

Question 12

How large is the 3 Gorges dam

Answer 12

Covers 1 million km^2 of drainage basin
55.6% of the Yangtze drainage basin
Forms a man made lake 600km long and 1-2km wide