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(Last updated: 3 Apr 2012)
Trends and opportunities
Clean Energy and Environment - China
Be part of a unique initiative to encourage exports and two-way investment between Australia and China in clean energy, green-building, water and the environment.
Austrade China’s Clean Energy and Environment (CEE) team has developed a coordinated marketing platform to introduce Australian firms to eco-projects, opportunities and contacts in China.
Austrade has developed a Chinese language directory to showcase the capabilities of Australian water, environmental, clean energy and green-building companies. The directory has been marketed to Chinese organisations pursuing major projects in relevant industry sectors, organisations such as urban and rural local authorities, state-owned conglomerates, energy generators and property managers.
Companies in this initiative are also able to connect via Austrade to CEE advisors working on-the-ground in China. These CEE advisors provide services ranging from legal, advisory, funding and business matching.
To apply to join our free CEE China Directory, please apply here.
The market
As China has progressed along the economic reform path, its environment has suffered degradation from rapid urbanisation and industrial development. Pollution and resource misuse have resulted in environmental damage in both the rural and urban settings.
China's environmental protection industry has developed in response to growing environmental degradation over the past two decades. The industry produces the majority of its own goods and services for pollution control and environmental protection though in some areas, the technology levels are low and below international standards.
China is experiencing the fastest growth in demand for environmental products and services in the world. It is estimated that environmental damage costs up to eight per cent of China's gross domestic product each year.
China’s environmental protection priorities (2011-2015)
China aims to shift its investment focus from infrastructure to encourage the development of environment-friendly projects. The 'National 12th Five-year Plan on Environmental Protection' released by the State Council on 15 December 2011, complimented China’s achievement in pollution control over the past five years and set new goals for the future.
(Source: www.china-briefing.com; news.xinhuanet.com)
It is estimated that total output of environmental protection and energy conservation industry will account for over seven per cent of GDP. The plan states there will be RMB3.4 trillion of investment demand in the China environment protection area from 2011 to 2015. RMB1.5 trillion of investment will be required in eight major prioritised projects including:
- Major pollutants reduction, such as sewage treatment, sludge treatment, desulfurisation and de-nitrification
- Living environment improvement, such as water/air/soil quality improvement
- Environmental protection in rural areas, such as non-point source pollution control from agriculture
- Ecological preservation, such nature reserve development and biodiversity conservation
- Environment risk prevention, such as prevention and control of heavy metal/hazardous chemicals pollution and persistent organic pollutants
- Nuclear safety, such as nuclear safety systems/technology development and radiation monitoring
- Environmental infrastructure, such as waste treatment facilities development and projects on water supply security
- Environmental monitoring, such as environmental monitoring capability development and talent training
In R&D, China will increase science and technology research investment in the area of environment and resources protection. Five important focal areas for these increased efforts are:
- Advanced environment monitoring
- Technology for pollution emergencies
- Regional clean air key technology
- Contaminated soil/site remediation
- Risk control technology for chemicals
Opportunities
Technical cooperation and joint ventures are of most interest to local environmental companies. Increasing investment in environmental protection is providing a range of opportunities for Australian companies:
- Advanced sewerage treatment processes and biotechnology treatment technologies
- Nitrogen oxide and ammonia nitrogen reduction and removal technologies
- Heavy metal reduction and treatment technologies
- Special waste, eg. electronic, magnetic, lead battery etc.) management, recycling and disposal
- Soil and water remediation (including heavy metal pollutant emission)
- Domestic and industrial waste recycling and industrial waste stabilisation
- Desulphurisation technologies
- Air pollution control equipment
- Noise control materials and equipment
- Environmental monitoring instruments and automation control systems
- Radioactive and electromagnetic wave pollution control
- Industry energy conservation technologies
- Green-building energy efficiency solutions
- Renewable energy – IP transfer, management and maintenance
- Carbon capture and treatment
- Environmental emergency response systems
- Consulting services, eg. water resource management planning, risk assessment, green and energy-saving design, eco-city planning etc.)
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