In today’s talking points: Australian solar to assist China in reaching clean energy goals; China increases coal supply, prices fall; China plans to make additional USD$8.5 billion investment in rail and energy in Pakistan; China’s New-Energy License Plate Program
Australian solar to assist China in reaching clean energy goals
The Chinese company Thermal Focus will be using Australia’s solar heliostat technology for concentrating solar thermal (CST) electricity generation. CSIRO’s patented low cost heliostats will now be manufactured, marketed, sold and installed by China’s Thermal Focus, with a shared revenue stream back to Australia. The technology uses a field of computer-controlled mirrors which reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a receiver. The sunlight then heats and stores hot, molten salt which can generate superheated steam. Thermal Focus says that CSIRO’s technology, combined with their manufacturing capabilities will help to expedite and deliver solar thermal to China.
Read more at EurekaAlert!
China increases coal supply, prices fall
In a response to prior speculation regarding the resource, the Chinese government has replenished the supply of coal, leading to falling prices. Dalian Commodity Exchange’s coke prices lost 1.6 percent while coking coal prices fell 1.2 percent. Coal is not going anywhere, however, as earlier this month saw two major coal groups signing long-term contracts with power plants around the country, providing fuel at around 535 yuan per ton. The government is looking to stabilise coal prices in the coming months, as the recent drop in price comes after a previous surge.
Read more at Shanghai Daily
China plans to make additional USD$8.5 billion investment in rail and energy in Pakistan
As part of China and Pakistan’s join energy, transport and infrastructure plan, Beijing plans to make additional $8.5 billion investment in the country. This is on top of the $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which focuses on road building and energy infrastructure to end serious power shortages in Pakistan and also to link China’s north-west with the deep-water port Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. $4.5 of the additional investment will be spent on upgrading tracks, while another $4 billion will go toward an LNG terminal and transmission line. Under CPEC, a number of new economic zones will be created along the corridor. Pakistan hopes that some industry will relocate from China, due to cheaper wages and production costs.
Read more at Reuters
China’s New-Energy License Plate Program
Starting from December this year, China will launch a pilot program that will award special license plates for new-energy cars in order to promote the industry as it desperately tries to clean up the country’s air. The program will initially be implemented in Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuxi, Jinan and Shenzhen. The program will be applied to the rest of the country as early as the second half of next year. In the new system, the special plates will have six digits and a green background color, different from the usual blue ones with five digits. The system aims to allow cities to manage their new-energy car fleets more effectively and to further promote electric cars, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles.
Read more at Caixin