Energy is an important material basis for social development as well as a pollution source, which has great impact on the environment. Since the 1990s, the Chinese economy has sustained a rapid growth and the scale for energy production and consumption in China have been continuously enlarged. No matter in the aspect of total volume or of sub volume, the production and the consumption has been promoted in a large scope. The Chinese energy industry exploits the market system to find potentials, reduce cost, promote quality, increase supply and actively develop the energy market, which resulted in new development in production, construction and management etc. of the Chinese energy industry and achievement in the development of new energy resources and renewable energy resources.

In recent years, the nation continuously adopted policies with emphasis on the energy industry, which brought about a fast process in energy construction. The energy industry persistently explores new channels for financing while absorbing large quantity of domestic as well as foreign capitals, therefore, the building of energy infrastructure equipment is propelled and the production capability as well as technological and equipment levels are greatly promoted.

Coal resource stand prominent in the composition of China energies, which disperses widely with lots of varieties and enjoy a very important position in the national economic and social development. At present, the production of coal accounts for 76% of the total production and 75% of the total consumption of the disposable energies. It will still be the pillar of the Chinese energy within quite a long time. In addition to this, the Chinese oil and natural gas industry developed very rapidly with an increasing proven deposits and a steady growth in the production of crude oil and natural gas. The Chinese prospecting has big achievements in both the land and the sea. By the end of the year of 1997, 21 oilfields have been set up and put into operation in Chinese sea areas, among which the cooperative oilfields numbered 13.

Electric power is a high-quality energy. In the year of 1997, the national generated energy reached 1135.6 billion kilowatt per hour, among which the hydropower stood 196 billion kilowatt per hour, fire power 924.1 billion kilowatt per hour, nuclear power 14.5 billion kilowatt per hour, and the average generated energy per day reached 3,1 billion kilowatt per hour.

China has very rich resources of new energies and renewable energies, which dispersed very widely in the nation. Major types are: the solar energy, wind power, biogenetic power, terrestrial heat power, oceanic power and the hydrogen power which comes from oceanic power. New technologies and materials are applied in developing and exploiting the new energies and the renewable resources, which are almost exhaustible and not harmful to the environment and therefore beneficial to the ecological virtuous circle. Since the 1980s, great progresses have been made in developing new energies and renewable energies in China, which has made great contributions to the sustainable growth of the society.