Local utility provider CLP Group Holdings Limited (CLP) said Wednesday that it is to enlarge its renewable energy investments as the group plans to reduce its carbon intensity in order to meet the government's standards for air emissions reduction targets.

The group announced Wednesday that it met its 2010 carbon intensity reduction target of 0.8kg carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour as said in its 2010 sustainability report. According to the report, the company is committed to reduce the carbon intensity of its power generation portfolio by 75 percent by 2050. CLP will review the air emissions reduction targets by 2013 as part of its mid-term review.

In 2010, the group said it reduced its emissions of sulfur dioxide by 49 percent, nitrogen oxides by 10 percent and total suspended particulars by 6 percent.

CLP Commercial Director Lo Pak Cheong said that the company will continue to invest in renewable energy projects to meet future environmental standards though he did not elaborate the exact amount or its impacts on future electricity tariff bills.

"The carbon intensity reductions were primarily achieved through the expansion of CLP's renewable energy investments on the mainland, India, Australia and Southeast Asia," Lo said at Wednesday's press briefing.

As of December 31, renewable energy accounted for 16.8 percent of CLP Group's power generation portfolio, exceeding the 5 percent renewable energy target for 2010 that was established in 2004.

The company said it would also further strengthen its renewable energy projects on the mainland.

"The latest 12th Five-year Plan proclaimed by the mainland government is still supportive to the promotion of clean energy so CLP will position itself in line with this move towards cleaner electricity generation," said Lo.

CLP in the next five years will re-balance its power generation portfolio from coal-centered to diversify into wind, hydro and nuclear power projects on the mainland, Lo said.

The adoption of natural gas will be another focus of the green energy push, according to CLP. As CLP is working on the West-East Pipeline II project. It will enable the firm to use natural gas as an alternative energy source.

The West-East Pipeline II project, the world's longest gas pipeline, is to be the mainland's first energy artery transferring gas from Central Asia to China. The pipeline is to consist of one major trunk line and eight sub-lines spanning 9,000 kilometers across 15 mainland provinces. Construction work started in February 2008.

For other new energy projects on the mainland, CLP has already extended the Daya Bay nuclear plant project contact for another 20 years up to 2034.

China Daily

(HK Edition 03/10/2011 page2)