On January 17, 2025, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEC), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and the National Energy Administration (NEA) issued the "Announcement on the Release of the 2023 Electricity Carbon Footprint Factor Data", which states that, in order to implement the relevant requirements of the "Implementation Plan on Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System", the MEC, the NBS, and the NEA have organized the China Electricity Council (CEC) and other organizations to calculate 2023 coal-fired power generation, gas-fired power generation, hydro power generation, nuclear power generation, and wind power generation in 2023,photovoltaic (e.g. cell)Carbon footprint factors for power generation, photovoltaic power generation, biomass power generation, and transmission and distribution carbon footprint factors, as well as the national average carbon footprint factor for electricity, for use by products in various industries to account for the carbon footprint generated by electricity production and consumption.
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Relevant person in charge of the Climate Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment answered a reporter's question on the "Announcement on the Release of 2023 Electricity Carbon Footprint Factor Data".
Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MOE), together with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the National Energy Administration (NEA), issued the Announcement on the Release of Carbon Footprint Factor Data for Electricity in 2023 (hereinafter referred to as the Announcement). The responsible comrade of the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment answered reporters' questions about the Announcement.
Q: What is the background and significance of this release of carbon footprint factors for electricity?
Answer:The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to the carbon footprint management work, and take the "construction of product carbon footprint management system" as an important part of deepening the reform of ecological civilization system. 2024 Government Work Report and the Central Economic Work Conference have clearly put forward the task of establishing a carbon footprint management system. Carbon footprint factor is the "important cornerstone" for the construction of China's product carbon footprint management system, and the carbon footprint factor of electric power has the attribute of basic energy, which is the necessary prerequisite for the accounting of the carbon footprint of various types of midstream and downstream products.
Previously, China has not yet released the electricity carbon footprint factor, and the default value of China's electricity carbon footprint factor in foreign databases is lagging behind and on the high side, which fails to reflect the green and low-carbon contribution brought by China's power transformation in recent years. Adopting international standards, researching and releasing electricity carbon footprint factor data in line with China's actual situation is not only an urgent need to fill the domestic data gaps, solve the "urgent needs" of enterprises, and actively promote the international convergence of China's carbon footprint management and data, but also an important foundation for the consolidation of China's product carbon footprint database and the smooth implementation of carbon footprint accounting for midstream and downstream products. It is also an important foundation for consolidating the basic factor data of China's product carbon footprint database and successfully carrying out carbon footprint accounting for midstream and downstream products.
Against this background, our company organized relevant units to carry out the compilation of the electricity carbon footprint accounting standard and factor calculation work, and formed the 2023 electricity carbon footprint factor data. The data, released for the first time in the form of an announcement by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, fills in the blank of the domestic electricity carbon footprint factor data, which can be used by different subjects to account for the carbon footprint of electricity production and consumption, and helps promote the green and low-carbon transformation of the industrial chain and supply chain, cultivate the development of new productive forces, and realize the "dual-carbon" goal.
Q: What is the basic idea behind the measurement of the carbon footprint factor for electricity?
Answer:Based on domestic and international product carbon footprint and life cycle evaluation standards, and in accordance with the principle of urgency first, we have accelerated the formulation and release of group standards on carbon footprint accounting for coal-fired power generation, gas-fired power generation, hydroelectric power generation, nuclear power generation, wind power generation, photovoltaic power generation, photovoltaic power generation, photo-voltaic power generation, biomass power generation, and power transmission and distribution, and have synchronized the establishment of the project and preparation of national standards for carbon footprint accounting for electric power.
Following the approach of "supporting factor calculation with standard compilation and perfecting the standard text with factor trial calculation", the system boundaries were determined in accordance with the rules of domestic and international product carbon footprinting and life cycle evaluation, and the trade-offs were clarified through trial calculations, and the research on electricity carbon footprint factors was carried out simultaneously based on the data of electric power statistical surveys and the measured data of enterprises. On the basis of a large number of measurement cases, the carbon footprint factors of coal-fired power generation, gas-fired power generation, hydroelectric power generation, nuclear power generation, wind power generation, photovoltaic power generation, photovoltaic power generation, photovoltaic power generation, biomass power generation, and power transmission and distribution (excluding line loss) in 2023 are 0.9440, 0.4792, 0.0143, 0.0065, 0.0336, 0.0545, 0.0313, 0.0457 and 0.0036kgCO2e, respectively. 0.0036kgCO2e/kWh, on the basis of which the weighted average method was used to calculate the national electricity carbon footprint factor of 0.6205kgCO2e/kWh.
Q: What are the characteristics of the released carbon footprint factors for electricity?
echoFirst, the research methodology is in line with international standards and has the basis for mutual recognition of factors. The research methodology of the carbon footprint factor released this time follows the general rule of product carbon footprint accounting "Greenhouse Gases Product Carbon Footprint Quantification Requirements and Guidelines" (GB/T24067-2024), which is consistent with the international standard of ISO 14067 and has Chinese characteristics, and has the methodological basis for the next step to strive for international recognition. Secondly, the measurement process of the carbon footprint factor of electric power released this time is based on a large number of typical representative case studies, and most of the measured data of domestic enterprises are used, which are smaller than the values of China's carbon footprint factor of electric power in international databases such as Ecoinvent, GaBi, etc., which are more in line with the objective reality of China's electric power development, and fully reflect China's electric power structural optimization and technological advancement level.
Q: How representative are the electricity carbon footprint factor measurement cases?
Answer:The selection of cases for measuring the carbon footprint factor of electric power takes into account the geographical representativeness, type representativeness and key influencing factors, and the data acquisition is based on the measured values with higher priority. Taking coal-fired power generation as an example, more than 100 units were selected as measurement cases, covering 26 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) in China, and covering mainstream coal-fired power generation types with different capacity levels, pressure parameters, combustion methods, etc. The carbon footprint factors of wind power generation and photovoltaic power generation are also considered in the case of the carbon footprint factors of China's wind and light resources distribution. The measured carbon footprint factors of electric power follow the basic rules of international carbon footprint accounting in terms of the richness and representativeness of the measured cases, as well as the priority of data acquisition, reflect the carbon emission characteristics of China's electric power system, and reflect the effectiveness of the optimization of China's electric power structure and the level of technological progress.
Q: What are the main differences from the recent CO2 emission factors for electricity issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment?
Answer:There is a big difference between the electricity carbon footprint factor and the electricity carbon dioxide emission factor. On the one hand, the accounting scope is different; the electricity carbon dioxide emission factor only considers the direct carbon dioxide emissions generated by thermal power generation, which is only a part of the accounting scope of the electricity carbon footprint factor. The accounting scope of power carbon footprint factor also includes upstream and downstream carbon emissions, such as: raw material acquisition stage, equipment acquisition stage, construction stage, decommissioning and disposal stage carbon emissions; at the same time, the operation and maintenance stage carbon emissions accounting is also more comprehensive. Overall, direct emissions account for about 80% to 90% of the electricity carbon footprint emissions. On the other hand, the application scenarios are different. The power carbon dioxide emission factor is mainly used to calculate the indirect carbon emissions generated by purchased power, and the power carbon footprint factor is mainly used to calculate the life cycle carbon emissions generated by power consumption, i.e., it is used for product carbon footprint accounting.
Q: What other work will be done after the release of the electricity carbon footprint factor?
Answer:Next, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with relevant departments, will organize the China Electricity Council to carry out the work of power carbon footprint factor on a regular basis. First, the Ministry will deepen the research on power carbon footprint factors, further expand the coverage of measurement, enrich case samples, strengthen the iteration of factor data, and explore the variety of power carbon footprint factors. Secondly, we will continue to update and release the electricity carbon footprint factor for the following years, so as to improve the quality and representativeness of the electricity carbon footprint data. Third, we will strengthen international exchanges and promote international mutual recognition of electricity carbon footprint factor data through multiple channels, so as to enhance its applicability and influence.
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