Publication of shale gas article by Ralph Winnie, Jr. in China Green Tech journal

http://www.divshare.com/download/18563349-bc3


Over the past twenty years, China has
experienced dramatic economic growth,
transforming itself from a basically agrarian
society into the world’s second largest
economy behind only the United States.
Since the initiation of economic and political
reforms in 1978, China has produced an
average annual growth rate of 10%. From
1978 to 2008, China increased its GDP 83
times (NBS, 2009) and lifted over two
hundred million of its people out of poverty.
This has continued to generate increased
energy supply. Within China’s energy
sector, production was stimulated by the
clarification of mineral exploration rights,
the development of transportation and
roadway infrastructure projects,
diversification of management structures
and the liberalization of environmental and
safety regulations. Rising living standards
necessarily create more domestic
consumption, including high-energy items
such as air conditioners, refrigerators and
televisions. Consequently, the growing use
of automobiles by the Chinese consumer is
creating energy security concerns as China
must routinely import more than half of its
oil from countries such as Iran, Russia and
Venezuela. Therefore, it is not surprising
that China is scrambling to secure its future
sources of energy today. The Chinese are
continuing to seek new sources of energy
fuels throughout the world and have even
considered going into outer space,
considering the possibility of mining the
moon for Helium 3 which is used in nuclear
fusion research and potentially a second
generation fusion fuel.
Furthermore, as the sale of automobiles
in China is expected to surpass those in the
United States within the next five years,
there is growing concern in China about
energy security, power capacity shortages as
well as air pollution which are generating an
increased desire on the part of the Chinese
Central Government to focus on alternative
technologies, including clean coal
technology, nuclear power and renewable
sources of energy. In fact, China is
expected to invest over 10 billion in support
of renewable energy development targets for
2020. However, achieving these targets
will depend on several factors, including
well-trained and highly skilled personnel,
cost reductions in technology and effective
distribution of power generation (electric
grids) through electric utilities. In addition,
international co-operation since the 1990’s
has recognized the importance of
improving energy efficiency in China’s
industrial sector, ranging from pilot projects
involving industry-government power
contracts to the development of energy
service companies nationwide, including
energy performance standards for the
Chinese industry. When China’s energy
consumption surged in 2000, a landmark
renewable energy law enacted in 2005,
supported continued expansion of renewable
energy as a national policy objective.
China obtains roughly 8% of its energy and
about 17% of its electricity from renewable
energy like wind power and solar power
(biomass and biofuels). These percentages
are projected to rise to roughly15% and 21%
respectively by 2020....