The Zhitong Finance App learned that recently, the National Energy Administration issued implementation opinions on promoting the integrated development of coal power and new energy sources. It was mentioned that the integration of coal power and new energy sources should be implemented without reducing the ability of coal power to support and regulate the power system. The scale of the new energy in the integration project should match the improved regulation capacity of the coal power plant transformation and upgrading. Strengthen carbon reduction in coal power and effectively improve the carbon reduction quality and efficiency of coal power. Promote the consumption of new energy sources, reduce the abandonment of wind and light, and effectively raise the level of consumption of new energy sources. Encourage diversified innovation and support the exploration of pilot applications of integrated technology. Adhere to adapting to local conditions, and scientifically select suitable integrated scene models. By the end of the “15th Five-Year Plan”, the coal-electricity and new energy integration scenario model was fully applied, and the annual carbon emission level of integrated projects was significantly reduced compared to before renovation and construction.
The original text is as follows:
National Energy Administration's implementation opinions on promoting the integrated development of coal power and new energy sources
National Energy Power [2026] No. 69
Provincial (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) energy bureaus, relevant provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Development and Reform Commission, Beijing Municipal Management Committee, various dispatching agencies, State Grid Co., Ltd., China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd., China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd., China Datang Group Co., Ltd., China Yangtze River Three Gorges Group Co., Ltd., National Energy Investment Group Co., Ltd., China International Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd. China Coal Energy Group Co., Ltd., China Electric Power Enterprise Federation, Electric Power Planning and Design Institute, Hydropower Planning and Design Institute:
The integration of coal power and new energy sources is an important gripper for promoting energy saving and carbon reduction in the coal power industry, and is an effective means of promoting the consumption of new energy sources. In order to implement the “Opinions on Achieving Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction at a Higher Level and Higher Quality” of the General Office of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council, implement the “Fifteenth Five-Year Plan” for the Construction of New Electric Power Systems, and promote the integrated development of coal power and new energy sources, the following implementation opinions are put forward.
I. General Requirements
The integration of coal power and new energy sources should be implemented without reducing the ability of coal power to support and regulate the power system. The scale of the new energy in the integration project should match the improved regulation capacity of the coal power plant transformation and upgrading. Strengthen carbon reduction in coal power and effectively improve the carbon reduction quality and efficiency of coal power. Promote the consumption of new energy sources, reduce the abandonment of wind and light, and effectively raise the level of consumption of new energy sources. Encourage diversified innovation and support the exploration of pilot applications of integrated technology. Adhere to adapting to local conditions, and scientifically select suitable integrated scene models. By the end of the “15th Five-Year Plan”, the coal-electricity and new energy integration scenario model was fully applied, and the annual carbon emission level of integrated projects was significantly reduced compared to before renovation and construction.
II. Scene mode
(1) Direct access of new energy sources to public coal power units in nearby areas to achieve collaborative transmission and consumption
Support coal power units to further reduce minimum technical output through deep peak-shifting transformation, make room for new energy sources to be connected to nearby areas, and replace coal power generation with new energy sources. Encourage supporting renovation and construction of energy storage and heat storage systems to achieve “low storage and high discharge” after connecting new energy sources in nearby areas, and use coal-to-electricity transmission lines to achieve collaborative transmission. Encourage the annual carbon emission level of integration projects to be reduced by at least 5% compared to before integration, and strive to reduce them by more than 10%.
(2) Direct connection of new energy sources to public cogeneration coal power units in nearby areas to achieve clean heating
Support the collaborative operation of new energy sources and public coal power unit heating systems, improve network performance such as peak shifting capacity of coal power units, and reduce the proportion of heating blockages. In the northern livelihood heating region, coal power units that are in a position to do so are encouraged to upgrade and build electric heating cooperative systems such as electric heating, heat storage, etc., so that new energy can replace coal electricity heating with new energy sources, and consolidate the effectiveness of clean heating work.
(3) Offshore wind power is directly connected to coastal public coal power units to achieve collaborative transmission and consumption
Support coastal areas where offshore wind power transmission routes are tight, coordinate offshore wind power planning, landing site selection, collection station layout, etc., explore the potential of coastal delivery systems and corridor resources to load centers, carry out in-depth peak shifting construction of coal power units and capacity expansion and transformation of transmission systems, so that offshore wind power plants can be operated and sent collaboratively after landing on coastal coal turbines and their transmission systems. Encourage the annual carbon emission level of integration projects to be reduced by at least 5% compared to before integration, and strive to reduce them by more than 10%.
(4) Connect nearby new energy sources to self-owned coal-fired power units to achieve bundled use
Support self-owned coal power units to reduce minimum technical output through deep peak shifting transformation. While playing a supporting and regulating role, they should be fully integrated into bundled energy sources in nearby regions to free up space for power generation. New energy sources in nearby regions can replace the power generation and heat supply of self-owned coal power units through public grids or directly connected to self-owned coal power units, and meet the green energy requirements of key industries. Encourage integration projects to reduce annual carbon emissions by at least 5% compared to before integration, and strive to reduce them by at least 10%.
(5) Energy systems directly connected to coal power plants with new energy sources in the plant or nearby area to achieve a green replacement for coal power's own energy use
Support the direct connection of distributed new energy sources within the plant area or new energy from nearby areas into the energy consumption system of coal power plants, so that new energy can directly participate in the energy consumption process of coal power itself, such as plant electricity, and raise the level of green energy replacement. Distributed new energy construction within the factory area should make full use of spatial conditions such as coal fields, main plant, factory front area and ancillary facilities.
III. Technical Requirements
(6) Strengthen the implementation of energy saving and carbon reduction transformation of coal power. Existing coal power units free up space for new energy consumption and utilization by modifying the adjustment capacity, installing additional energy storage systems, increasing the capacity of the transmission system, and constructing new energy sources in the factory area or nearby area.
(7) Clarify the new energy grid connection method for integrated projects. The integration project should form a clear physical interface and responsibility interface with the public grid, and bear the relevant costs fairly. The new energy in the integrated project can be directly connected to the energy storage and heat storage facility in the coal power plant area, or it can also be connected to the first access point of the power distribution device or transmission system within the plant to form a unified whole and then sent out on a shared line. In principle, the direct distance between the edge of the new energy site of the integrated project is no more than 100 kilometers from the coal power plant site.
(8) Optimize the new energy access line scheme for integrated projects. The system sorts out coal power plant access conditions and new energy access line corridor resources, optimizes path plans, and minimizes cross-crossing with existing power grid lines. Where transmission routes are strengthened, implementation is carried out in accordance with current national and industry policy standards.
(9) Clarify measurement methods for coal-electricity and new energy integration projects. Integrated projects should have independent electricity measurement conditions for coal power and new energy sources, and set up gate meters reasonably to ensure clear measurement interfaces and accurate results.
(10) Ensure grid-related performance of coal-electricity and new energy integration projects. The new energy in integrated projects should be “considerable, measurable, adjustable and controllable”. New energy and energy storage in integrated projects should meet relevant technical standards and safety requirements. For example, when connected to the energy system of a coal power plant, it should not affect the grid-related performance of the coal power plant. Transient (static) stability, short circuit current level, and power quality after the integration project is connected to the grid shall meet the relevant standard requirements for the safety and stability of power systems.
(11) Encourage technology development and application. Strengthen research and development of technologies such as energy storage and heat storage, heat storage media such as molten salt in a wide temperature range, super (special) high temperature heat pumps, electric heating equipment, and collaborative operation platforms, etc., to support collaborative innovation throughout the entire chain of industry, academia, research and use, and promote mature application of technology as soon as possible.
(12) Accelerate the construction of a standard system. Establish and improve a standard system for planning and design, commissioning and acceptance, production and operation of coal-electricity and new energy integration, improve standards and specifications for the collaborative operation of coal power and new energy sources and participation in markets such as electricity, green certificates, carbon trading, etc., and form carbon emission accounting methods for coal-electricity and new energy integration projects.
IV. Improving policy mechanisms
(13) Innovate integrated project development and implementation models to encourage coordinated development and implementation by the same entity, or through the establishment of consortia to implement operations. Support integrated projects to participate in electricity and carbon market transactions.
(14) The integrated project operates according to the current power scheduling mechanism. Collaborative operation is achieved through participation in the electricity market, all regions are encouraged to explore innovative operation methods according to local conditions, and the environmental value of the integrated project is reasonably reflected. Waste electricity generated from new energy sources in integrated projects is not included in the statistics and assessment of the utilization rate of new energy sources.
(15) Increase central financial support and provide financial subsidies for eligible coal, electricity and new energy integration projects. Encourage power generation companies to actively explore and broaden investment and financing channels and make good use of existing infrastructure.
5. Organization and implementation
Support provincial energy authorities and relevant departments to work with relevant departments to formulate detailed policies and measures to support the integrated development of coal power and new energy sources in the region, clarify power grid asset disposal requirements, approval of peak capacity for integrated projects, etc., improve market and price mechanisms, strengthen factor guarantees, and guide power grid enterprises and power generation enterprises to do a good job in project implementation, construction and operation. Power grid enterprises should do a good job in grid-connected access services and scheduling operations for coal-electricity and new energy integration projects. All agencies dispatched by the National Energy Administration should strengthen supervision, promptly carry out follow-up and evaluation of policy results and project progress, and promptly report important situations.
This article was compiled from the official website of the National Energy Administration; Zhitong Finance Editor: Chen Siyu.