Carbon emissions intensity reduction target for China's power industry: An efficiency and productivity perspective. (1st October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xian, Yujiao; Wang, Ke; Shi, Xunpeng; Zhang, Chi; Wei, Yi-Ming; Huang, Zhimin
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 197(2018)Part 1
• Page Start: 1022
• Page End: 1034
• Publication Date: 2018-10-01
• Subjects: Data envelopment analysis (DEA) -- Endogenous directional distance function (DDF) -- Meta-technology frontier -- Heterogeneity -- Technological gap; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.06.272
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: This paper proposes a scenario analysis to address whether the national and provincial CO2 emissions intensity reduction target during 2016–2020 would be achievable for China's power industry with the identification of change on carbon productivity. This productivity indicator is further decomposed to investigate contributions of different sources to productivity growth when there exists technological heterogeneity. Evaluation results show that even if all electricity-generating units in each region were able to adopt the best practice, the nationwide 18% intensity reduction target is not feasible through improving technical efficiency or upgrading technology on electricity generation and carbon abatement in a short or medium term. The existence of regional technological heterogeneity in power generation and associated CO2 emissions reduction processes implies the necessity of more differentiated regulations and policies for emission reduction across China's regions and inter-regional technology transfer. The emerging national emission trading scheme could easy some challenges in formulating emission policy for heterogeneous regions. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Largest CO2 intensity reduction potential in China's provinces is quantified. Endogenous technique is used to capture largest reduction ratio. Meta-technology approach is applied to identify technological heterogeneity. Scenario analysis is utilized to project possible CO2 intensity reduction. CO2 intensity reduction target is not easy to achieve for China's power industry.