The General Office of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Comprehensive Department of the National Energy Administration issued a notice on the implementation plan of large-scale equipment renewal in key energy areas, mentioning that the investment scale of key energy equipment areas is expected to increase by more than 25% compared to 2023 by 2027. Key initiatives include promoting the energy-saving transformation of coal-fired units, heating transformation, and flexibility transformation in a coordinated manner, achieving equipment renewal and technological transformation in areas such as power transmission and distribution, wind power, photovoltaics, and hydropower.
The notice points out the cautious promotion of hydropower equipment renewal and transformation, studying the improvement of the flexibility and wide-load operation capability of hydroelectric generating units, exploring the potential of hydropower resources, enhancing the operational efficiency of old units, increasing unit stability, and better adapting to the operational needs of new power systems. Research on promoting unit upgrades and transformations for hydropower projects with demand in the power system, conditions at the power station, and guaranteed factors. Promote basin-wide centralized control of hydropower, conduct research on smart hydropower-related technologies, gradually promote intelligent operation of equipment and products.
The notice also mentions promoting the renewal and recycling of wind power equipment, encouraging the renovation and upgrading of wind farms connected to the grid for over 15 years or with a single unit capacity of less than 1.5 megawatts as required. Encourage the replacement of small capacity wind turbines with large capacity and technologically advanced mainstream models in the industry, support the application of green low-carbon materials, new high-tower technology, land-saving technology, high-efficiency and intelligent wind turbines, increase electricity generation per unit land area, improve equipment and facility maintenance and waste utilization, enhance the quality and efficiency of wind energy, land, and grid resources.
