China

Emissions Profiles

China is the world's largest emitter of methane. Approximately 22 percent of its anthropogenic methane emissions—188.0 MTCO2E—come from landfills, natural gas and oil systems, and coal mines.

China 2005 Methane Emissions by Source

Source: 2006 USEPA Report: Global Anthropogenic Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions:1990-2020 http://www.epa.gov/nonco2/econ-inv/international.html Exiting Methane to Markets.

Experience and Opportunities for Methane Projects

China is the world's largest coal mine methane (CMM) emitter, accounting for 40 percent of the global total, and has included CMM recovery in its 5-year plans. In addition, China's methane emissions from landfills are steadily increasing as open dumps are converted to sanitary landfills. China is currently operating at least five landfill gas recovery projects.

In February 2005, China passed a renewable energy law that provides a feed-in tariff for renewable technologies and establishes grid feed-in requirements, as well as cost-sharing mechanisms so that the incremental cost of new energy sources will be shared among utility consumers. It also creates new financing mechanisms that support rural uses of renewable energy.

Most recently, a contract was awarded to Caterpillar, Inc., to supply all the power generation equipment for a CMM-fueled power plant-the world's largest-located in the Shanxi Province. This plant will produce 120 MW of electricity, plus heat that will be recovered to produce usable hot water for mining operations. Over the 20-year lifetime of this project, it is estimated, 40 million MTCO2E in greenhouse gas emissions will be avoided. The project involves a total investment of $235 million and is being financed by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Jinching Municipal government, and the Work Bank Prototype Carbon Fund.

The government of China will host the 2007 Methane to Markets Partnership Expo, which will showcase the Partnership's achievements and global opportunities for methane recovery and use. It will provide a forum for projects, technology, financing, and policy.

Committee Membership

China participates in the following committees:

  • Steering Committee
  • Coal Technical Subcommittee (Vice-Chair)
  • Landfill Technical Subcommittee
  • Partnership Expo Task Force

China Subcommittee Contacts.

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