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Published on: September 1, 2010

Original title: 国家发展改革委关于生物质发电项目建设管理的通知
Links: Original CN (link). Unofficial translation by China Clean Energy Database (link) or hosted locally here (link).

National Development and Reform Commission

Notice on the management of construction of biomass power generation projects

NDRC Energy [2010] No. 1803

To all provincial (regional, municipal) Development and Reform Commissions (Energy Bureaus), China State Grid Corporation, China Southern Power Grid, China Huaneng Group, China Datang Corporation, China Huadian Corporation, China Guodian Corporation, China Power Investment Corporation, China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, and the National Bioenergy Corporation：
Biomass power generation is an important form of bio-energy。In recent years, China’s biomass power generation has achieved a certain level of development, installed capacity has annually increased, and the formation of more complete equipment manufacturing capacity and an industry service system has been fostered, hastening rural development and playing a large role in realizing energy conservation and emission reductions。Nevertheless, biomass penetration is insufficient due to the lack of management experience, planning and other types of preliminary work. Currently biomass power generation is still confronted with insufficient fuel supplies, price pressures, difficult-to-control power generation costs and other problems, influencing the expansion of biomass power generation。To advance the healthy development of biomass power generation, research having already been completed, the below notice is issued to strengthen management and related requirements for biomass power generation project construction：

1. Place attention on biomass power generation planning work
Biomass resources are the raw-material foundation for biomass power generation。Because rural biomass resources have a wide variety of applications, to ensure the orderly development of biomass power generation, it is necessary to complete biomass power generation planning work, and coordinate preparations for the rational use of biomass resources. On the basis of the full consideration of other uses for biomass resources, and according to the unique aspects of the distribution of remaining resources, biomass power generation targets and construction arrangements are then rational established, and no blind construction is allowed。In principle, biomass power generation plants must be situated in major grain producing regions or straw-rich areas; moreover, in each county, or within a radius of 100 kilometers, there must not be redundant collocation of biomass power generation plants。

2. Rationally determine biomass power generation plant location and scale
The types of biomass resources are numerous, including agricultural and forestry industry by-products, food processing and wood processing bi-products, garbage, livestock manure and treated wastewater sludge。To fully and effectively use all forms of biomass resources, biomass power generation boilers shall have the capacity to combust all types of biomass resources. Plant location, in addition to satisfying all safety and environmental conditions, shall fully plan and consider the unique aspects of the distribution of each resource, integrate with the needs of urban heating or industrial park heating, and prioritize the construction of biomass and thermal power co-generation plants 。The scale of biomass thermal power plant construction shall be determined on the basis of a guaranteed volume of resources supply; and, in general, two turbines shall be installed, and turbine capacity shall be matched with the volume of resources; and with consideration of the above-referenced radius for the transport of bio-mass feedstock, turbine capacity is generally not to exceed 30 MW。

3. Requirements and safeguards to ascertain biomass resources
The core condition for the construction of biomass power plants are bio-mass resources, and ascertaining biomass resources must be a precondition to the construction of biomass power plants。All biomass power plant construction must develop a detailed resource assessment, comprehensively understand the unique aspects and the distribution of resources; and establish a feasible system of biomass resource collection, transportation, and storage; and have clear technical requirements and management systems for biomass resource collection, transportation and storage, to ensure the safe and reliable supply of biomass resources。

4. Strict management of examination and approval for biomass power generation projects
To push forward the healthy development of biomass power generation, it is necessary to strengthen the work of the management of examination and approval for biomass power generation projects, and set up strict project examination and approval requirements, to prevent blind construction. Aside from earnestly carrying out project construction plans, land use and environmental protection requirements as well as other construction conditions; establishment of biomass power generation plans and ascertainment of biomass resources are important conditions for project examination and approval 。Projects not part of biomass power generation planning or that fail to ascertain biomass resources shall not be approved for construction。
It is requested that all provincial (regional, municipal) Development and Reform Commissions and Energy Bureaus, according to the above-referenced requirements, conduct a comprehensive review of biomass power generation circumstances. Those areas with a number of projects already constructed but with a relatively high number of existing problems shall suspend the examination and approval of biomass power generation projects, and concentrate energies on improving operations and management at projects that have already been constructed 。For proposed bio-mass power generation projects, there must be establishment of annual work programs, and after reporting such work programs to the National Energy Administration for review and approval, local governments may examine and approve construction。Projects that are unilaterally examined and approved, shall not be granted subsidies within the scope of the National Renewable Energy Funds。