The Top 10,000 Programme is a Chinese government initiative aimed at saving energy by promoting industrial energy efficiency in the country. Improving energy efficiency is a critical component of energy conservation. As the largest energy consumer in the world, responsible for 22 percent of global energy consumption as of 2018, efforts to focus on energy efficiency have global implications. The initiative targets the largest energy-consuming enterprises in the country, aiming to reduce their energy consumption and promote overall energy efficiency. The program encourages these enterprises to implement various energy-saving measures, such as optimizing their production processes, improving equipment efficiency and investing in energy-saving technologies. As a result of the program, by 2016, China’s energy and water consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 17.9 percent and 25.3 percent respectively from a 2012 baseline. This meant an energy savings equivalent to the consumption of 680 million tonnes of coal. China’s energy-efficiency efforts continue to be central to the 14th Five-Year Plan and its Dual Carbon Goals, which aim to reach peak emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2060.
Changing China’s Industrial Sector
The Top 10,000 Programme aims to cover two-thirds of China’s total energy consumption, or 17,000 industrial and high energy-consuming enterprises that use more than 10,000 tonnes of coal equivalent (tce) per year and high energy-consuming enterprises with an annual consumption of more than 5,000 tce. The initial target of the Top 10,000 Program was an absolute energy-saving target of 250 megatonnes of carbon equivalent (Mtce) by 2015, which was a 16 percent energy intensity reduction relative to a 2010 baseline. China has also worked to raise the standards for its phase 3 asynchronous motors from IE2 (high efficiency) standards to IE3 (premium efficiency) standards.
Many of China’s industries still rely on outdated and inefficient equipment, making it challenging to adopt innovative energy-saving solutions. Additionally, the lack of standardization in technologies, coupled with the unique requirements of different industrial sectors, further complicates the integration process. This can lead to delays in the implementation of energy efficiency measures, resulting in missed energy-saving targets. To achieve its energy-saving goals, the Top 10,000 Programme adopted several strategies and tools, including:
- Implementing energy audit systems and conducting industrial energy efficiency assessments for the target enterprises.
- Providing technical support and financing options for energy-saving investments.
- Introducing energy management systems to track and analyze energy consumption data.
- Establishing energy-saving targets for each enterprise and monitoring their progress regularly.
The Top-10,000 program aims to reduce energy consumption by encouraging the adoption of energy-saving technologies, such as waste heat recovery systems, industrial boilers and steam systems, high-efficiency electric motors, efficient lighting systems and advanced process controls. By implementing these energy-saving technologies, industries can not only reduce their energy consumption but also lower their operating costs, thus contributing to the overall goal of reducing China’s energy intensity. The Programme builds on the success of China’s previous Top-1,000 initiative, which targeted the 1,000 largest industrial enterprises in China and resulted in significant energy savings. The Top 10,000 Programme reflects the Chinese government’s ongoing efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the face of rapid industrialization and economic growth.