While people shout for the achievements of new energy development, coal supply and consumption continue to grow. The China Coal Industry Association recently released data showing that the national raw coal output in 2023 will be 4.71 billion tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.4%; the national coal import volume will be 474 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 61.8%. Both figures hit record highs. At the same time, in 2023, the new installed capacity of wind power and photovoltaic power generation across the country will account for 78.8% of the total installed capacity of new power generation, becoming the absolute main body of new installed capacity. The "double growth" of coal and new energy is enough to trigger more thinking about energy transformation.

大国能源转型并不像人们想的那么容易。近年来，尽管能源绿色转型加速推进，原煤占中国一次能源生产总量的比重却始终保持在65%以上，依然是主体能源。因为占比最大，能源需求上涨自然会拉动煤炭需求大幅上升。煤炭的安全稳定供应有力地支撑了中国经济社会平稳健康发展，特别是在极端天气和突发事件下，煤炭行业全力以赴增产保供，以煤炭的“稳”和“增”为全国能源安全稳定供应作出了重要贡献。 For a long time to come, coal will remain the ballast stone of China's energy security and a relatively cheap booster for economic development.

The second phase coal warehouse of the West Hubei Coal Storage and Transportation Base in Yichang City, Hubei Province. Photo by Liu Weidong (Zhongjing Vision)

但煤炭消费上涨过多过快，会给碳达峰后的碳中和带来很大压力，Clean utilization of coal must be further promoted on the basis of ensuring energy security. 引导绿色技术在煤炭全产业链创新和应用，整体推进煤炭从生产开发到终端消费全生命周期清洁管理。加强商品煤质量管理，支持煤炭深度加工、对路消费和高效利用，加强煤炭分级分质利用和散煤综合治理，多途径提高煤炭利用和转化效率，构建煤炭绿色低碳循环发展新体系。有序推进现代煤化工产业发展，推动煤炭由燃料向原料转化、由传统能源向清洁能源战略转型。

To solve the coal problem, we cannot just focus on the supply side, but also find solutions from the consumption side to encourage society to consume more green energy. 欧盟碳边境调节机制下，国际贸易绿色壁垒持续加高，打造绿色供应链成为当前国际贸易和产业竞争中的新着力点，制造业企业有意愿通过消费绿电来降低出口产品的碳足迹。早在2021年，中国就启动了绿色电力交易试点，虽然可再生能源市场化交易比例已经很高，但绿电专场交易的体量仍然偏小。要进一步丰富绿电市场交易品种，健全绿电定价体系，完善跨省交易机制，让企业有绿电可用。

In recent years, addressing climate change and promoting energy transformation have become the general consensus and concerted action of the international community. According to statistics, in the past five years, global renewable energy has provided 66% of new power generation, becoming the main body of power supply increment. In 2023, global clean energy investment will exceed US$1.7 trillion, significantly exceeding fossil energy investment, and the trend of cleaner investment will be significant. The International Energy Agency predicts that in 2024, renewable energy generation will exceed one-third of the global electricity supply for the first time, replacing coal as the world's largest source of power generation. The general trend of green and low-carbon energy transformation is clear.

即便如此，中国煤炭产销量同步增长，仍反映出新能源尚存挑战待解。一方面，新能源“大装机、小电量”特征明显，必须建设数倍于煤电的装机，才能提供同等电量；另一方面，新能源依然“靠天吃饭”，系统主动支撑能力较弱。 Accelerating the construction of supporting regulated power supplies is the key to large-scale integrated utilization of new energy sources. 应合理布局支撑性调节性煤电，适度布局调峰气电，规模化推动光热发电；大力推进流域龙头水电站建设，推动既有水电扩机增容及抽水蓄能电站建设改造；积极推进新型储能建设，不断增强电力系统综合调节能力。

At the same time, improve the power transmission capacity and utilization efficiency of transmission channels, and improve the ability to optimize the allocation of large power grid resources and the level of safe and stable operation. Continue to improve the market mechanism and price system that adapt to the rapid development of new energy, and scientifically reflect the value of green environment. It is necessary to further improve the flexibility of market organizations, shorten trading cycles, and increase trading frequency. Accelerate the improvement of market mechanisms that effectively stimulate regulation capabilities, guide flexible resources such as coal power, pumped storage, and new energy storage, and release the potential of system regulation.

Considering different coal qualities, 2 to 3 tons of carbon dioxide are emitted for every ton of coal burned. Faced with the urgent situation of ensuring energy security and stable supply and achieving the "double carbon" goal, we must unswervingly and vigorously develop renewable energy, while doing a good job in clean utilization of fossil energy, and better grasp the balance between green transformation and energy security.