Spatial configuration and technology strategy of China's green coal-electricity system

Although China is doing much on developing alternative energies, coal will still be the main energy resource for China in the near to medium term. Developing a green coal-electricity system in China is very important for reduction of carbon emissions and local air pollutants, while satisfying China's rapidly growing electricity demand. This paper first reviews the advancement in optimization models with endogenous technological change and spatial energy systems modeling. Then, present situation and technology strategy of coal-electricity industry in China are analyzed. Three interweaved issues are identified for the development of China's green coal-electricity system. It can be concluded that the future integration of spatial data with MESSAGE model is vital for the analysis of China's coal-electricity system. It will be helpful to study optimal spatial configuration and technology development strategies for the development of a green coal-electricity system in China. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4730419]