To increase cleaner power generation and cut greenhouse gas emissions, China will order power firms nationwide to upgrade coal conservation technology and eliminate outdated capacity.

An action plan for the 2014-20 period was jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the National Energy Administration on September 19.

The action plan comes after the Central Government approved climate change goals to be met by 2020, when carbon emissions per unit of GDP will be cut by 40 percent to 45 percent from the 2005 level.

It will also bring the proportion of non-fossil fuels to about 15 percent of primary energy consumption by 2020.

With stricter environmental protection standards, China will lower coal-fired generation of electricity to under 62 percent of the national total by 2020, according to the plan. Average coal consumption at new power plants should be less than 300 grams of standard coal per kilowatt hour (kwh). Average coal consumption at existing furnaces should be brought below 310 grams of standard coal per kwh before 2020.

At least 10 gigawatts (gw) of obsolete thermal power capacity will be phased out by 2020. At least 150 gw of coal-fired power generation capacity will be cleaned up by 2015, and another 350 gw by 2020.