BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- China aims to establish a modern coal industry system by 2030 as the country seeks to balance energy security with green transition, according to a recently issued development plan.
The plan, released Monday by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, said China will accelerate the optimization and upgrading of its coal industry structure during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) as the country's coal consumption is expected to peak.
It calls for higher access standards for coal resource development, greater efforts to develop advanced production capacity, the orderly phase-out of outdated and inefficient capacity, and a prudent approach to the exploitation of deep coal resources.
By 2030, large modern coal mines are expected to account for 87 percent of China's total coal production capacity, while intelligent mines will make up 75 percent. The country's five major coal supply bases are expected to contribute more than 80 percent of national output, according to the plan.
An intelligent coal mine is a digitally connected and highly-automated worksite that uses AI and real-time data to optimize mining operations, while minimizing human intervention and hazards.
Coal remains an important pillar of China's energy security as the country accelerates its green transition. China aims to peak coal consumption by 2030 and increase the share of non-fossil energy in total energy consumption to 25 percent, putting greater emphasis on cleaner, more efficient and intelligent coal production and use.
Guided by the latest plan, China's coal industry is expected to become increasingly concentrated during the 2026-2030 period, with smaller mines prone to accidents and those with depleted resources exiting the market at a faster pace, said Qu Yang, a researcher with the Coal Industry Planning and Design Research Institute.
The plan calls for actively promoting clean substitution for coal, significantly improving the quality of commercial coal, accelerating the transformation and upgrading of coal-fired power generation, and orderly expanding the use of coal as an industrial feedstock.
The plan also urges scaled-up development and utilization of coalbed methane, which offers multiple benefits, such as improving coal mine safety, boosting clean energy supply and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
According to an annex to the plan, China aims to produce 26 billion cubic meters of coalbed methane and utilize 6.5 billion cubic meters of coal mine gas by 2030. Enditem
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