The Beijing Municipal Commission recently reported that China’s capital city aims to reduce its coal consumption to less than 4.2 million t this year.
Last year, Beijing’s coal consumption reportedly reached 4.85 million t, accounting for 5.6% of its total energy consumption.
Already, in six downtown districts and four southern districts, it has reached its goal of ‘no coal’.
According to the Commission, the goal is expected to be met by shifting focus from cutting consumption in the city to promoting clean energy use in the rural areas. Under the plan, Beijing will reportedly replace coal with clean energy in 450 rural villages by the end of 2018.
The city is to also use clean energy to power more boilers used for winter heating, and is to close down more coal-burning industrial plants.
Beijing plans to release three policies and measures related to the reduction of coal combustion facilities and the construction for clean energy facilities.