Page 13 - Gi flipbook March 2018

CHINA
China’s Hebei halts

coal to gas heating

conversion project The province has some of the

worst air quality in the region
CHINA’S HEBEI PROVINCE its major priorities as it
has halted an ambitious continues to wage its war More than 2.5 million to underestimate demand.
program to convert large on pollution. households across Hebei Officials have also been
numbers of coal-fired Hebei, which surrounds were converted from coal accused of implementing
boilers to natural gas, the capital Beijing, has to electricity or natural the conversion policies with
after supply shortages left been on the front line gas in 2017. The province excessive zeal.
homes without heat over of a campaign to cut also closed as many as China’s environment
the winter, according to smog. The province 36,000 coal-fired boilers ministry was forced to
business magazine Caixin. reduced concentrations over the year. make concessions as early
Caixin, citing a document of hazardous airborne But gas shortages and a as December, saying in
issued by the local planning particles by 7.1 per cent last lack of infrastructure have a notice it would allow
agency, said the conversion year, but it still accounted disrupted the operations cities to continue burning
project would be delayed for six of China’s 10 most of industrial firms across coal for heating purposes
until 2020, when new polluted cities. northern China, and left if the required gas
pipelines delivering gas Highly-polluting coal some villages without infrastructure had not yet
from Russia are scheduled made up 86.6 per cent of heat amid sub-zero been completed.
to go into operation. Hebei’s energy mix in 2015, temperatures this winter, Despite China’s efforts to
The move marks a far higher than the national forcing authorities to switch to cleaner energy,
significant U-turn by the rate of 63 per cent, and it suspend the conversions. nationwide coal production
provincial government, was under pressure to cut Gas suppliers have said rose 3.2 per cent last
which had identified the coal production capacity by a lack of communication year. Coal prices have
switch from coal to gas 40 million tonnes over the between governments and also soared after blizzards
or electricity as one of 2013-2017 period. producers had caused them disrupted supplies. ■

UNITED STATES block the deal, saying it will maintain support for
US says Russian gas link would leave countries Polish plans to build a gas-
such as itself and Ukraine
pipeline connection with
vulnerable if Russia
the North Sea together
hurts European security decided to shut down with Denmark. Additionally,
the gas pipelines running he’s in favour of increasing
across its territory to links in the energy network
THE EXPANSION OF number of East European Western Europe. Foreign between the Baltic and
Russia’s gas pipeline to nations, will allow the Minister Jacek Czaputowicz Adriatic seas.
Germany under the Baltic Kremlin to use energy as a said Poland wanted US Besides joint efforts
Sea, which bypasses a “political tool,” according to help in stopping Nord in the energy industry,
US Secretary of State Rex Stream 2, which is being Poland’s Foreign Minister
Rex Tillerson Tillerson. built by Russian gas giant said he was hopeful for
Tillerson, speaking to Gazprom PJSC. more military cooperation
Bloomberg reporters in “It’s not a helpful piece with the US, after it
Warsaw after meeting with of infrastructure to support installed troops in the
Poland’s Prime Minister stability in Europe,” Tillerson former Communist country
Mateusz Morawiecki, said said. “We will continue to as part of a plan to better
Europe should seek to take steps as we can.” protect NATO’s eastern
diversify energy supplies. The top American flank. Czaputowicz said
The US saw the contested diplomat said his country Poland wants to complete
Nord Stream 2 link as is ready to help Poland negotiations “soon” and
“undermining Europe’s continue to diversify its fuel sign defence deals with the
overall energy stability supplies, including through US, including protracted
and security,” he told the sale of US liquefied talks about the delivery
Bloomberg. natural gas, to reduce its of the Patriot missile-
NATO member Poland dependence on Russia. defence system as well as
has repeatedly tried to Tillerson also said the US Blackhawk helicopters. ■

13

News.indd 8 15/02/2018 14:25