During the 14th Five-Year Plan, China National Coal Group Corporation (China Coal Group) has thoroughly implemented an innovation-driven development strategy, striven to forge a technological engine for green transformation, systematically promoted energy structure optimization and industrial upgrading and explored an innovative path of green and low-carbon development while safeguarding national energy security.
Pioneer in innovation, energy transition
China Coal Group has taken the lead in establishing the Enterprise Innovation and Development Joint Fund under the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Energy and Low-Carbon Innovation Center under the Jingjinji National Center of Technology Innovation. It has been approved as an original technology source in green and low-carbon industrial development, while taking part in building national-level platforms such as key laboratories. China Coal Group has actively cultivated innovative entities. The number of high-tech enterprises developed by the group has increased to 33.
China Coal Group has made breakthroughs in key core technologies such as disaster prevention and control for deep mining. Vigorously advancing major projects such as coal mine intellectualization, rock burst prevention and control, solid waste gas utilization, MineHarmony, ultra-deep vertical shafts, and transparent geology, China Coal Group has achieved innovation achievements one after another. It has developed the world’s first 200-metric-ton pure electric mining truck and the world’s first 8MW ultra-long-distance intelligent scraper conveyor equipment. China Coal Group also established the world’s first inflatable grain silo, which won the honor of Top 10 Mega-projects of China’s central state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
Honing in on digital intelligence, China Coal Group has built the Intelligent Management and Control Platform for Production and Operation, introduced artificial intelligence (AI) tools, developed more than 150 algorithm models, further advanced the reform of management models and mechanisms, and realized full-chain coordination and whole-process connectivity. It has built 48 smart coal mines and 203 intelligent fully-mechanized mining faces (FMMFs), with nine achievements selected as models of national smart coal mine construction.
Focus on green, low-carbon development
China Coal Group has unswervingly followed the path of high-quality green and low-carbon development, systematically advanced ecological governance, and built a beautiful China Coal Group where humans and nature coexist in harmony.
It has built 22 green mines of national and provincial standards. The Pingshuo Mining Area has completed afforestation of 23,000 mu (15.33 square kilometers) in the mining area and surrounding regions, reclaimed more than 70,000 mu (46.67 square kilometers) of land, and the regional vegetation coverage rate has increased from less than 10 percent before mining to over 95 percent. China Coal Datun Company and China Coal Xinji Company have utilized coal mining subsidence areas to develop fishery-solar hybrid projects, high-standard farmland and ecological wetlands, creating a comprehensive demonstration base integrating new energy, characteristic agriculture, and ecological restoration.
China Coal Pingshuo Company plants forage grass in the reclaimed areas of open-pit mine dumps. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
China Coal Group has vigorously developed the "PV+" industry, with a large number of projects in various stages of construction or operation. It has carried out green transformations such as clean heating, charging heavy-duty trucks in mining areas and new energy power direct supply. The group is also exploring the value of waste gas, waste water and solid waste in the production processes of coal, coal-fired power and coal chemical industry. The comprehensive utilization rates of coal gangue and mine water have reached 90.9 percent and 89.9 percent respectively, far exceeding the average level of large coal mining enterprises nationwide. China Coal Group’s comprehensive energy consumption per ton of raw coal production is as low as 3.85 kg of standard coal/ton, only 32.7 percent of the industry average, setting a new benchmark for clean and efficient coal utilization.
In the future, China Coal Group will continue to deepen reform and innovation, accelerate the green and low-carbon transition, comprehensively enhance core competitiveness and strive to build a world-class energy enterprise so as to contribute to safeguarding national energy security, building a new energy system and serving the drive for Chinese modernization.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
