US President Signs Executive Orders Aimed at Reviving Nuclear Power, China's First Offshore CCUS Project Commences Operation
（2025/05/26—2025/06/01）
Author：Hao-Wang
International Energy News
1. US President Signs Executive Orders Aimed at Reviving Nuclear Power
Recently, the US President signed a series of executive orders, including "Revitalizing the U.S. Nuclear Industrial Base," "Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy," and "Restructuring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission." Announcing the goal to "rebuild U.S. nuclear energy leadership," the plan aims to increase U.S. nuclear power generation capacity from 100 GWe to 400 GWe by 2050. It directs the Department of Energy to prioritize collaboration with the nuclear industry to facilitate capacity increases of 5 GWe at existing nuclear plants and to build 10 new large-scale reactors with finalized designs by 2030. The executive orders involve multiple reform measures: restructuring and reducing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), requiring the NRC to complete new reactor licensing within 18 months, streamlining processes to accelerate project deployment, expanding domestic uranium mining and enrichment capabilities, prioritizing support for small advanced nuclear reactor development, and exploring synergies between nuclear power and artificial intelligence/data centers.
2. EU Announces 44 Oil and Gas Firms to Participate in 2030 CO2 Emission Target
Recently, the European Commission adopted new regulations requiring oil and gas producers to take responsibility for achieving the EU's target of storing 50 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2030. Based on the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) , the rules identify 44 obligated companies (accounting for 95% of EU oil and gas production from 2020-2023) and define how their contributions are calculated (proportional to their production share during that period). Specific obligations have been set; for example, Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) must contribute an annual injection capacity of 6.3 million tonnes of CO₂, while BlueNord must contribute 1.3 million tonnes. The new regulations are undergoing a two-month scrutiny period by the European Parliament and Council and, if approved, are expected to take effect by late July 2025. Notably, NAM—the largest contributor—has announced it will cease its 60+ years of exploration and gas production in the North Sea by mid-2025.
3. Global Battery Energy Storage Capacity to Grow by Record 200 GWh in 2024
According to a recent report by Rystad Energy, global energy storage capacity is surging and is projected to grow ninefold by 2040, exceeding 4 terawatts (TW). This growth is largely driven by battery energy storage systems (BESS), which are experiencing unprecedented expansion in 2024. In recent years, declining costs of battery projects and continuous technological advancements have significantly reduced power storage expenses. Last year, global new BESS installations hit a record of 200 gigawatt-hours (GWh), bringing total global battery storage capacity to 375 GWh. China led in new capacity additions with over 100 GWh, followed by the US with 35 GWh. Germany, Australia, and the UK rounded out the top five.
Domestic Energy News
1. China's First Offshore CCUS Project Commences Operation
China's first offshore Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) project recently commenced operation at the Enping 15-1 platform in the Pearl River Mouth Basin. CO₂ associated with oilfield development is captured, purified, and compressed into a supercritical state. It is then injected into an underground reservoir at an initial rate of 8 tonnes per hour via a dedicated CCUS well. This process both enhances crude oil recovery and achieves CO₂ storage, pioneering a novel marine energy recycling model described as "using carbon to drive oil, and using oil to trap carbon." While there are currently 65 commercial CCUS projects globally, most are land-based, making offshore projects exceptionally rare. China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) designated CCS/CCUS demonstration projects as a key initiative in its 14th Five-Year Plan energy-saving and carbon reduction strategy. After four years of research covering geology, reservoir engineering, drilling, and integrated engineering, the project developed over 10 domestically pioneering technologies. The Enping 15-1 CCS demonstration project, which started operation in June 2023, has already injected nearly 200,000 tonnes of CO₂, offering a practical carbon reduction solution for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and beyond.
2. State Council Encourages National-level Economic Development Zones to Pioneer Carbon Peaking Pilot Zones
Recently, an executive meeting of the State Council reviewed and approved the "Work Plan for Deepening Reform, Innovation, and Opening-up in National-level Economic Development Zones to Lead High-Quality Development." Regarding green and low-carbon initiatives, the plan encourages national-level economic development zones to implement market-based trading of distributed power generation and actively participate in green certificate and green electricity trading to boost green power consumption; supports improving corporate carbon emission statistics/accounting and product carbon footprint management systems, exploring ways to promote the use of green certificates by enterprises in carbon emission accounting and carbon footprint management; encourages the zones to conduct pilot projects on synergistic innovation in pollution reduction and carbon mitigation and create carbon peaking pilot zones; encourages the zones to enrich the supply of green financial services, vigorously develop green, low-carbon, and circular industries, and actively create green industrial parks and ecological civilization construction demonstration zones (eco-industrial parks); advances strategic environmental impact assessments for the zones' plans in accordance with the law; and supports qualified national-level economic development zones in conducting pilot projects to deepen environmental impact assessment reforms.
3. Yangtze River Basin's First "Zero-Carbon Island" Officially Launched
The Mianchuan Island Wind Power Project in Pengze County, Jiangxi Province, recently achieved full-capacity grid connection, marking the official launch of the Yangtze River Basin's first "Zero-Carbon Island" powered by large-scale renewable energy. Thousands of workers spent 18 months installing 18 wind turbines and supporting energy storage systems on the island. This has established a largely self-sufficient clean energy supply system. With an annual power generation exceeding 240 million kilowatt-hours, the project saves approximately 96,000 tonnes of standard coal and reduces CO₂ emissions by 240,000 tonnes annually. Crucially, it solves the long-standing problem of Mianchuan Town relying on a single, isolated power source. The project not only meets the production and living energy needs of the island's 32,000 residents but also exports significant amounts of clean green electricity to the grid, effectively supporting green development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
(Main news sources: CCTVNEWS APP, International Energy Network, China Energy Network, National Energy Administration, China Energy News, World Nuclear News)
