China will fundamentally establish a modern coal industrial system by 2030, pushing the coal industry's high-quality development to a new level, according to a development plan of the coal industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) period released on Monday.
Jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, the plan noted that China aims to further strengthen coal's role as a baseline guarantor for energy security by 2030, increase the share of high-quality and advanced production capacity, and raise the proportion of national output from large modern coal mines to 87 percent.
The plan also calls for boosting the share of capacity from intelligent coal mines to 75 percent. By then, China will fundamentally establish a modern coal industrial system, the plan said.
To achieve these targets, during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will optimize the geographical layout of coal extraction, continue advancing the building of secured coal supply bases in Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi and Xinjiang, consolidate and optimize a tiered development pattern across eastern, central and western regions, and improve the cross-regional coal transportation network.
At the same time, the plan also demands accelerating the optimization and upgrading of the coal industrial structure, raising entry standards for resource development, expanding high-quality advanced capacity, and the phased exit of outdated and inefficient capacity.
"During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we will better coordinate development and security, accelerate the iterative upgrading of smart coal mines, implement key projects that integrate coal with new energy, push for coal consumption to smoothly reach its peak and ensure that coal continues to play its crucial role as a reliable baseline guarantor and system regulator within China's new energy framework," said Liu Tao, director of the coal department at the National Energy Administration.
In addition, the plan also includes a development and utilization program for coalbed methane. By 2030, China aims to reach an annual coalbed methane production of 26 billion cubic meters, with gas utilization volume hitting 6.5 billion cubic meters.
China targets modern coal industry system by 2030
