Outlook of coal-fired power plant development and the regional ecosystem and environmental protection in China

Abstract

ABSTRACTEnergy plays significant role in the protection of national prosperity and economic development. The development and construction of coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) were regarded as an important component of the national energy planning, ecological civilization, national energy security, urban and regional sustainable development, and even atmospheric action. The construction of CFPPs is served as an important contribution to optimizing national energy structure and development. However, CFPPs are mainly located in arid or semi-arid or desert regions in China. The vegetation recovery in these regions is rather difficult than other regions once these ecosystems are disturbed or degraded, so these fragile areas face the more severe risks of ecological environment. These regions also serve as important grain-producing bases in Northern China and as important ecological function areas to nearby major cities, such as, Beijing and Tianjin. Furthermore, the development activities of CFPPs may lead to numerous environmental issues, such as water pollution, soil erosion vegetation degradation, and air pollution. The relationships between environmental issues and CFPP development should thus be regulated from a regional or national perspective. In this study, we analyse the spatial characters of coal resources, discuss the ecological conservation goals and ecological conditions of CFPPs, propose solutions to environmental issues involving ecological protection and CFPP construction, and provide important sustainable development strategies.