China unveils 5-year plan to switch from coal to natural gas

Beijing, (Reuters/HT), Dec 17, 2017 -  China announced on Sunday a five-year plan to convert northern Chinese cities to clean heating during the winter through 2021, state media reported, amid a deepening heating crisis.  

An unprecedented government campaign to switch millions of households and thousands of businesses from coal to natural gas in northern China this winter has backfired.  

Severe natural gas shortages have sent prices soaring nationwide, hitting businesses and residents across China’s industrial heartland.  

The plan was jointly announced by 10 government agencies, including the state planning National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, the online edition of Securities Times quoted the China Energy News as saying.  

The plan covers 2017 through 2021.  

The government has made “concrete arrangements” regarding geothermal heating, biomass heating, solar heating, gas heating, electric heating, industrial waste heating, clean coal-fired central heating, the Securities Times said.  

By 2019, half of northern China would have converted to clean heating, reducing bulk coal burning by 74 million tonnes, it said.