China to further tap geothermal energy

BEIJING - China is aiming to provide geothermal energy of 50 million tons of coal equivalent (TCE) annually by 2020, said a guideline issued on Thursday.

By 2015, geothermal energy shall supply power of 20 million tons of TCE annually and a national information system on the energy shall be in service, said the guideline, jointly issued by the National Energy Administration, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Land and Resources and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

Under the same time frame, geothermal energy shall provide heating for 500 million square meters of housing, and installed capacity fueled by geothermal energy should top 100,000 kilowatts, the guideline said.

The renewable and clean energy can help relieve energy pressure and boost ecological progresses, the statement added.

The State Council in late January approved an energy consumption control target, part of the country's efforts to correct overuse and foster greener growth.

It set a target to keep total energy consumption below 4 billion tons of TCE by 2015, with electricity consumption below 6.15 trillion kilowatt hours.