North China's Hebei Province has pledged to develop clean and high-quality energy sources and to optimize energy consumption patterns through the introduction of investment and advanced technologies.

According to the provincial government, Hebei is striving to optimize its energy consumption, aiming to have electricity account for 40 percent, and various new and renewable energy sources account for 30 percent of its total energy consumption by 2005.

Presently, coal accounts for 88.47 percent of the province's total energy consumption, 10 percentage points higher than the national average.

However, the consumption ratios of crude oil, natural gas and hydropower are lower than the respective national averages.

The provincial government is set to give high priority to the development of highly-efficient and clean energy sources, such as nuclear power, gas, hydropower, wind power and solar power.

The province is vowing to abandon a large number of conventional energy projects characterized by low efficiency, high energy consumption, heavy pollution and outdated technologies and equipment.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2003)