Recently, China's National Energy Administration (NEA) released the Guiding Opinions on Energy Work in 2025 (hereinafter referred to as the Guiding Opinions), which aims to accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, fulfill the new energy security strategy with higher standards, accelerate the planning and construction of a new type of energy system, continue to enhance the capacity of energy security, actively and steadily push forward the green and low-carbon transformation of energy, rely on reform and innovation to cultivate new momentum for energy development, and pragmatically advance Energy international cooperation, showing China's firm determination and strategic layout in energy security, green low-carbon transformation and energy science and technology innovation.

The Guidance puts forward three major goals for energy work in 2025: in terms of supply security capacity, the total amount of national energy production will be steadily increased. Coal production will be stabilized and increased, crude oil production will remain above 200 million tons, natural gas production will maintain rapid growth, and the scale of oil and gas reserves will continue to increase. The country's total installed power generation capacity has reached more than 3.6 billion kilowatts, the new energy generation capacity has increased by more than 200 million kilowatts, the power generation capacity has reached about 10.6 trillion kilowatt-hours, and the cross-province and cross-region transmission capacity has continued to improve. In terms of green and low-carbon transformation, the proportion of installed power generation from non-fossil energy sources will be increased to about 60%, and the proportion of non-fossil energy sources in total energy consumption will be increased to about 20%. New progress has been made in renewable energy substitution in key areas such as industry, transportation and construction. New energy consumption and regulation policies and measures have been further improved, and the policy mechanism for green and low-carbon development has been further improved. In terms of development quality and efficiency, the average coal consumption of thermal power units will be maintained at a reasonable level. The utilization rate of wind power and photovoltaic power generation will remain at a reasonable level, and the comprehensive benefits of photovoltaic sand control will be more significant. Large-scale coal mines have basically realized intelligentization. Initially built a unified national power market system, further optimizing the allocation of resources.

The Guidance puts forward 21 annual key tasks. The first is to vigorously enhance the energy security guarantee capacity: to strengthen the foundation of energy security guarantee, improve the regional energy synergy guarantee capacity, and strengthen the management and control of major energy security risks. The second is to actively and steadily promote the green and low-carbon transformation of energy: maintain the good development trend of non-fossil energy, promote the construction of a new type of power system, and continue to deepen the transformation of energy development and utilization. The third is to promote energy reform and rule of law: continue to improve the energy system and mechanism, deepen the construction of a unified national power market, and continuously improve the energy rule of law system. Fourth, accelerate the promotion of energy science and technology self-reliance and self-improvement: continue to improve the energy science and technology innovation system, strengthen the energy key core technology research, cultivate the development of new industries and new forms of energy. Fifth, to effectively enhance the people's satisfaction with energy: to enhance the level of livelihood energy services to ensure that the county to promote the high-quality development of energy. Sixth, focus on enhancing the effectiveness of energy regulation: effectively maintain a fair and just market order, and continue to strengthen power safety supervision. Seventh, consolidate and deepen international cooperation in energy: continue to enhance the ability to guarantee the supply of overseas resources, coordinate and do a good job in key countries and regional energy cooperation, and actively participate in global energy governance. The eighth is to promote the preparation and implementation of energy planning in an integrated manner: to strengthen efforts to complete the “14th Five-Year Plan” energy planning objectives and tasks, and scientific planning for the “15th Five-Year Plan” energy planning.

The development of “2025 energy work guidance” is not only the routine work of energy planning and management, but also in the international situation is complex and volatile, the domestic economic transformation and upgrading of the background of the important initiatives. 2024, the energy industry in the supply-side reform and the green low-carbon transformation has made significant progress, but also facing the rapid growth of new energy on the system of the challenges of the system of energy consumption as well as the key technology and equipment to solve the bottleneck problem. In this regard, a series of policy initiatives put forward by the “Guiding Opinions” will help guide localities and relevant enterprises to further accelerate the construction of a new energy system, to ensure that the “14th Five-Year Plan” planning goals and tasks are completed on schedule, and for the “15th Five-Year Plan” to create a favorable environment for the start of the year.

In the future, China's energy sector will present four major features: security, green, innovation and cooperation; energy security and low-carbon transformation will go hand in hand; scientific and technological innovation will continue to empower industrial upgrading; and the construction of Chinese-style modernization will provide a solid energy guarantee.

Author: Qinger