Integrated assessment and obstacle factor diagnosis of China's scientific coal production capacity based on the PSR sustainability framework

Abstract

The Scientific Coal Production Capacity (SCPC) is an important decision-making basis for the sustainable development of China's coal industry. It is important to objectively measure its evolution characteristics and identify its key impact factors. Based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model and the connotation of SCPC, this paper constructs a comprehensive SCPC evaluation system from the dimensions of resources, technology, safety, environment and benefits. Furthermore, this paper proposes an integrated analysis method to evaluate and identify the evolutionary characteristics and key influencing factors of SCPC from 2000 to 2016. The results show that, a) China's SCPC assessment system reflects the current state of pressure drive, operational state and regulatory response of China's coal overcapacity and its interaction mechanism. b) The integrated assessment method of SCPC can effectively remedy the deviation caused by the method of constant power evaluation and improve the accuracy of the evaluation method and the reliability of the evaluation results. c) China's SCPC tends to improve overall during the period of 2000-2016, but its development is slow. The reason is that the operation state of SCPC and its response mechanism are improved, and the impact of the pressure-driven factors of SCPC still exists and has not be improved. d) The obstacle factors of the pressure-subsystem of SCPC mainly involve coal transportation and carbon mitigation constraints. The obstacle factors of the state-subsystem are mainly coal quality, employee health and asset operation ability, and the obstacle factors of the response-subsystem are market regulation and demand-side response mechanisms. The key to improving China's SCPC in the future is to strengthen the construction of coal transportation channels, achieve clean utilization of coal resources, pay attention to employee health, improve asset operation efficiency and promote coal market reform.