Building an energy powerhouse is a realistic requirement for coordinating domestic and international efforts, balancing development and security, and advancing the construction of Chinese-style modernization. This is a systematic project that still requires adhering to the principle of “establishing before dismantling” and making progress while maintaining stability.

A careful review of the “15th Five-Year Plan” recommendations shows that a total of 16 “powerhouse” construction goals have been proposed. Among them, “energy powerhouse” appears in the plan recommendations for the first time. What is the profound significance behind this?

Building an energy powerhouse is a realistic requirement for coordinating domestic and international efforts, balancing development and security, and advancing the construction of Chinese-style modernization.

Looking outward, the global energy supply and demand pattern is undergoing profound adjustments. Geopolitics, climate change, and energy transition are overlapping and interacting, making energy issues a priority area for national security in all countries.

Looking inward, during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s energy consumption will continue to grow rigidly, with an expected annual increase of about 600 billion kilowatt-hours in electricity demand, creating considerable pressure. As a large country with a population of more than 1.4 billion, we cannot follow the old path of high energy consumption and high emissions taken by developed countries in the past. We must shift to a green and low-carbon development track.

Therefore, building an energy powerhouse means constructing a strong energy industry chain, supply chain, and innovation system; adhering to a multi-energy approach including wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear power; continuously increasing the proportion of new energy supply; promoting the safe, reliable, and orderly replacement of fossil energy; and promoting the transformation of energy production and consumption patterns. Only by firmly grasping and well managing foundational areas such as energy, and enhancing our capacity for independent development, can we gain greater confidence in winning new advantages in international competition.

China already has many favorable conditions for building an energy powerhouse. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s position as the world’s largest energy producer was consolidated, and its energy self-sufficiency rate remained above 80%. As fossil energy consumption peaks in sequence, the degree of external dependence on oil and gas will gradually decline to a reasonable level. China has also built the world’s largest and most complete new energy industry chain, supplying more than 80% of the world’s photovoltaic modules and 70% of wind power equipment. Many energy technologies and equipment are leading the world, with new breakthroughs achieved in gigawatt-level hydropower, advanced nuclear power, heavy-duty gas turbines, smart grids, and other fields.

As the world’s largest developing country, China still faces arduous tasks in economic development and improving people’s livelihoods, and energy development is subject to many rigid constraints. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, building an energy powerhouse is a systematic project that still requires adhering to the principle of “establishing before dismantling” and making progress while maintaining stability, and coordinating and handling several relationships well.

The relationship between energy security and transition. Green transition cannot be achieved overnight. We must base ourselves on national conditions, make progress while maintaining stability, and on the basis of the “orderly withdrawal” of traditional energy, promote the early, rapid, and solid establishment of new energy to achieve safe and reliable replacement.

The relationship between energy development and energy conservation. To build an energy powerhouse, we must focus on the supply side and promote the development of green energy; but we must also not ignore the demand side, promote energy conservation and efficiency improvement, and advocate green and low-carbon production and lifestyles. Taking equipment energy conservation as an example, through the implementation of a large-scale equipment renewal campaign, China upgraded more than 20 million sets of equipment in key areas in 2024, achieving energy savings of about 25 million tons of standard coal and reducing carbon emissions at the source.

The relationship between the government and the market. We will further promote the market-oriented reform of competitive links in the energy sector, continuously improve the energy pricing mechanism, and stimulate endogenous motivation and innovation vitality.

During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, China will accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient new energy system. More energy from “wind, sunshine, and water” will be converted into green power, and more fossil energy will be used cleanly and efficiently, helping to firmly hold and secure China’s “energy rice bowl.” (Ding Yiting)