China:

China Nears Publication of Plan to Guide Geothermal Developments (Bloomberg)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

China could be nearing publication of a plan to guide the development of geothermal energy resources over the next few years as it plunges ahead with efforts to get more of its energy from renewable sources.

The plan will cover the years 2016 to 2020 and could be ready as soon as July, according to Liu Jinxia, head of the geothermal research institute at Sinopec Star Petroleum, which acts as a government think tank and is authorized to research geothermal energy.

The National Energy Administration and the Ministry of Land and Resources are currently reviewing the geothermal development plans from dozens of local governments.

A detailed plan would map out China’s geothermal resources and outline how companies and governments could commercialize the energy source, Liu said.

According to Sinopec Star Petroleum, China has one-sixth of the world’s geothermal resources, but just 28 megawatts of geothermal generating capacity at the end of 2014.

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