China Bans Coal-Fire Power Plants In Major Cities

ENERGY TECH

AFP file image of a smoke ladden regional city

Beijing (AFP) Oct 9, 2003
China has banned coal-fire power plants in the capital Beijing and other major cities -- a long-awaited move expected to reduce chronic air pollution and acid rain, state press reported Thursday.

The plants have been banned in Beijing, Shanghai and 21 provincial capitals, the China Daily said. The cities are responsible for some 60 percent of China's sulphur dioxide emissions.

In other big and medium-sized cities, thermo-electric projects approved under national energy polices must meet environmental protection standards, the report said, citing State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) guidelines.

Sulphur dioxide is the leading cause of acid rain, which occurs over one-third of China, the report said.

According to SEPA statistics, coal-fire power stations in China emitted more than 6.6 million tons of sulfphur dioxide in 2002, some 33 percent of China's sulfphur dioxide emissions, it said.

Meanwhile desulfphurization projects are being carried out at 137 coal-fire plants across the country and are slated to be completed by 2005, it said.

According to the new guidelines, desulfphurization equipment will be required at all new coal-fire power projects that get state approval.

ENERGY TECH

Dupont And NREL To Develop World's First Integrated Bio-Refinery

Wilmington - Oct 07, 2003
DuPont and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today announced a joint research agreement leading toward the development of the world's first integrated "bio-refinery" that uses corn or other renewable resources � rather than traditional petrochemicals � to produce a host of valuable fuels and value-added chemicals.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT	CLIMATE SCIENCE
EARTH OBSERVATION NASA Mission Receives More "Timed" Ball Aerospace To Build DigitalGlobe's NIMA Bird DigitalGlobe Awarded in Excess of $500 Million NextView Contract From NIMA Post-Earthquake Reconnaissance Benefits Identified	ENERGY TECH China Bans Coal-Fire Power Plants In Major Cities Dupont And NREL To Develop World's First Integrated Bio-Refinery NASA Technology Reduces Some Smokestack Emissions Toyota Expands Its Real-World Testing of Fuel Cell Hydrogen Vehicles
EPIDEMICS	FLORA AND FAUNA Customer Takes Control Of Thuraya Boeing to Ship NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite to Florida for March Launch Eutelsat Boosts Hispasat Stake To 27 Percent Intelsat Secures Launch Services For Intelsat X Series Satellites
FROTH AND BUBBLE	ABOUT US

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement