“Research and work out the country’s energy development policy; ponder the major issues related to energy security and energy development; plan and coordinate the exploitation of the country’s energy resources as well as the energy-related international cooperation.” These are the main responsibilities of the newly created National Energy Commission (国家能源委员会) as described in the State Council’s (国务院) official notice on the 12. of January 2010.

This National Energy Commission is now China’s highest ranking administrative body in energy matters. Before, there was no ministerial level entity specifically in charge of energy. The different duties were scattered among several institutions and ministries.

The creation of this new governmental institution is not a surprise. In the Proposal of Reform of the State Council’s Structure (国务院机构改革方案) from 2008, it was already question of strengthening the energy administration structures and the creation of an Energy Commission was mentioned. It underscores that energy is a key part of China’s plan for its own development. China’s energy dependency will be at the heart of the commission’s work. The more surprising fact, is that China didn’t have such a body until now.

The next step may be the creation of a Ministry of Energy. Ministries and National Committees are both on the same hierarchical level, under the supervision of the State Council, the country’s highest executive and administrative organ. Unlike a ministry, a commission doesn’t have its own personnel; it is composed of high-ranking members from other institutions. The names associated with the Energy Commission show its strategic importance. Wen Jiabao (温家宝), the State Council’s Premier assumes its direction. Among the members are the heads of the ministries of foreign affairs, science and technology, environmental protection, security, etc. The already existing Bureau of Energy (能源局) will assume day-to-day work of the commission.

Depending from what angle one looks at this story, it may just look like a cosmetic relooking, that happens every so often in an administration. But it also marks the growing importance of an issue, that some years ago didn’t seem strategic enough to have its own centralized institution. Instead of being treated locally by the different ministries, energy-related questions will now be coordinated and handled according to their own logic . From a technological point of view, this means an increasing demand for efficient energy management and new energy producing technologies.  

Chinese sources: 国家能源委高调亮相 强化能源统合管理; 国务院办公厅关于成立国家能源委员会的通知; 解读国家能源委员会

Being currently the world’s most populous country and at the same time rather poor in natural resources, China faces energy-related challenges. To tackle these challenges, technological realisations and innovation are needed.

Technological China is covering the country’s new developments in the field of energy.

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