Carbon emission and management of China's power generation

Electricity is a basic necessary ingredient for modern economic growth and electricity sectors and also is the main sources of Carbon dioxides (CO
₂
) emission. As the second largest electricity producer and consumer in the world, China has electricity sector as one of the most important sector controlling CO
₂
emission. This study presents the results of a life cycle analysis of CO
₂
emissions from power generation systems in China using input-output analysis, from both electricity producer perspective and electricity consumer perspective. In 2007, direct CO
₂
emission per KWh of electricity generated by power plants and consumed by end users in China was at 701.7 gCO
₂
and 748.7 gCO
₂
respectively, while the Life cycle CO
₂
emission (total CO
₂
emission) is at 890.4 gCO
₂
per kWh of electricity generated and 977.2 gCO
₂
per KWh of electricity end-users consume. Of the total, embodied CO
₂
emission caused by indirect use of energy and materials contributes to 21.2 percent. China has achieved significant reduction of CO
₂
emission per KWh electricity since 1980 and still has great potential in future through suitable CO
₂
management measures adopted.