In order to cope with challenges such as global climate change and national energy security, China will develop biomass energy as an important strategic measure to replace petrochemical energy and ensure energy security. Actively promote the development and utilization of biomass energy, and biomass energy will play a more important role in China’s energy security and emission reduction.
1. Energy Efficiency
By 2020, the development and utilization of biomass energy nationwide will be equivalent to 300 million tons of standard coal and 600 million tons of standard coal respectively, which can greatly reduce coal consumption and make up for the shortage of fossil fuel resources. According to preliminary estimates, when biomass energy reaches its utilization in 2020, the annual power generation is equivalent to replacing coal by about 600 million tons. The annual utilization of biogas is equivalent to 24 billion cubic meters of natural gas, the annual consumption of fuel ethanol and biodiesel is equivalent to replacing about 10 million tons of oil, and the thermal utilization of solar energy and geothermal energy is equivalent to reducing the annual energy demand by about 70 million tons of standard coal. The development and utilization of biomass energy will play an important role in improving the energy structure and saving energy resources.
2. Environmental benefits
The development and utilization of biomass energy will bring significant environmental benefits. When the 2020 development target is reached, the annual utilization of biomass energy is equivalent to reducing the annual emission of sulfur dioxide by about 8 million tons, reducing the annual emission of nitrogen oxides by about 3 million tons, reducing the annual emission of soot by about 4 million tons, and reducing the annual emission of carbon dioxide by about 1.2 billion tons, saving about 2 billion cubic meters of water annually, and saving about 300 million mu of forest land from damage.
3 Social benefits
The development and utilization of biomass energy is an important part of the development of circular economy and an important measure to promote rural development and increase farmers’ income. By 2020, biomass energy will be used to accumulatively solve the basic electricity consumption problem of about 10 million people in areas without electricity, and improve the living conditions of about 100 million rural residents. The energy utilization of crop straw and agricultural waste biomass can improve the efficiency of agricultural production. It is expected that when the scale of development and utilization is reached in 2020, the annual income of farmers will be increased by about 100 billion yuan. The construction of rural household biogas digesters and biogas projects for livestock and poultry farms will improve the environmental sanitation in rural areas and reduce the pollution of river water sources and groundwater by livestock and poultry manure. The development and utilization of biomass energy will promote the economic development of rural and county areas, and improve the modernization level of public facilities such as rural energy supply.
Energy forest construction, forest biomass and energy utilization of wood processing waste can promote afforestation and ecological protection. It is estimated that when the utilization of biomass energy in the forestry sector reaches the target of 2020, the annual output value of forestry can be increased by about 50 billion yuan. The treatment of urban domestic sewage and the use of industrial production wastewater to treat biogas can promote the development of circular economy. The development and utilization of biomass energy, equipment manufacturing and related supporting industries can increase a large number of jobs. By 2020, it is expected that the number of employees in the field of biomass energy will reach 2 million.
The development and utilization of biomass energy will save and replace a large amount of fossil energy, significantly reduce pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, and promote the coordinated development of man and nature. It plays an important role in building a moderately prosperous society and a new socialist countryside in an all-round way, and vigorously promotes sustainable economic and social development.