Shanxi aims to curb carbon emissions

North China's Shanxi province, the largest coal producer in the country and host to several carbon-intensive industries, aims to curb its carbon emissions to meet the national carbon peak and neutrality goals by upgrading China's first zero-carbon airport.

Taiyuan Wusu International Airport, located in the provincial capital Taiyuan, is hoping for an "energy revolution" by building a zero-carbon terminal in its third phase expansion project, which is expected to be operational by 2026.

Once completed, the airport is forecast to emerge as a brand-new aviation hub with an annual throughput capacity of 40 million passenger trips and a cargo and mail throughput of 300,000 metric tons, according to the local government.

According to the Government Work Report delivered on March 5 at the annual session of the 14th National People's Congress, China will actively and steadily promote its dual-carbon goals — peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060.

Specifically, China plans to build a group of zero-carbon industrial parks and factories and expand the coverage of its national carbon emission trading market to include more industries.

Besides, the country will carry out carbon emission statistics and accounting, establish a management system for the carbon footprint of products, a carbon labeling certification system, and actively respond to green trade barriers, the report said.

Ma Tonggui, a deputy to the 14th NPC, has been maintaining civil aviation equipment for 23 years and dealing with nearly 600 pieces of equipment daily. Each day, Ma and his colleagues inspect the circuits of the luggage transfer system early in the morning.

Ma said he deeply understands the necessity for promoting low-carbon technologies and zero-carbon airports.

After he was elected a deputy to the NPC in 2023, Ma started paying close attention to the application of green power at airports. Through systematic research, he found that there is room for further improvement in the stable supply of green electricity.

This year, he proposed to strengthen the application of green power at the new zero-carbon terminal and promote a coordinated development model of direct green power supply and virtual power plant, a network of decentralized energy resources that are controlled via software to function as a single and flexible power source. The application of a virtual power plant at an airport is the first such attempt in China.

"The conditions for building distributed photovoltaic and wind power generation and other green power projects within the airport are limited," Ma said.

"Yet, the industries that serve the airport, such as aviation catering, aircraft maintenance, warehousing and logistics, are located within the airport's economic zone and possess the basic conditions for developing and applying green power resources," he said.

The zero-carbon project of Taiyuan airport aim to build a unified energy management digital system for multiple scenarios at the airport, including terminal buildings, tarmac and office areas.

In his proposal, Ma has suggested an increase in financial subsidies for the use and research and development of clean energy equipment at airports.