Zhangjiakou energy transformation strategy 2050: pathway to a low-carbon future
One of cities hosting China’s Winter Olympic Games in 2022 has turned to renewables to reduce future emissions and address growing energy demand. The municipal authorities for Zhangjiakou City, in co-operation with the China National Renewable Energy Centre (CNREC) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), have adopted an ambitious 30-year roadmap to phase out coal-fired power generation and scale up solar and wind power instead. Zhangjiakou possesses abundant renewable energy resources, including the potential for 30 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) and 40 GW of wind generation. By 2050, the city could increase renewables from less than half to nearly three quarters of its electricity mix, IRENA’s roadmap report indicates. By adopting the roadmap, the city of 4.4 million people in Hebei Province sets an example for other cities in China and worldwide to take advantage of renewables. The low-carbon energy plan also strengthened the city’s joint Olympic bid with Beijing.
