Shanxi Development and Reform Commission recently issued a plan of building zero carbon (near-zero carbon) industrial demonstration zones. 

According to the plan, by 2025 Shanxi aims to establish around five zero carbon mines whose carbon dioxide emissions per metric ton of coal will be reduced by over 20 percent compared to 2020. 

It will also create a handful of zero carbon development zones whose total carbon dioxide emissions are at least 20 percent lower than those of 2020, and implement five or so deep decarbonization demonstration projects whose carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will reach domestic or internationally advanced levels. 

To achieve these goals, Shanxi will select about five large-scale coal mines with advanced production capacity and integrate various technologies including energy saving and carbon reduction measures, zero carbon energy supply, gas utilization, and ecological carbon sequestration, as it chases net zero carbon dioxide emissions. 

The province plans to carry out deep decarbonization demonstration projects in around five key enterprises in traditionally high carbon dioxide-emitting industries such as coal-fired power, steel, non-ferrous metals, coking, and coal chemicals. It will also explore the green and low-carbon transformation of these industries. 

By focusing on provincial- or higher-level development zones that target developing high-tech industries, strategic emerging industries, and productive service industries, Shanxi will establish low-carbon and zero-carbon energy supply systems in these development zones. 

The province will also build photovoltaic panels on the roofs of factories and buildings in those zones, utilize biomass energy, geothermal energy, wind energy, hydrogen energy, and other zero-carbon energy sources, and encourage enterprises in the zones to purchase electricity produced in an eco-friendly way.