Huge consumption, exploration and use of energy resources have led to the depletion of resources and deterioration environment, which oblige China to explore and utilize new energy sources for its sustainable economic growth.

"China's gross domestic product has increased by more than 10 fold since the founding of new China in 1949, but its energy consumption rose some 40 fold during the period. Huge consumption of energy has resulted in energy shortage and worsening of environment," said Shi Jinfeng, president of Liaoning Polytechnic Engineering University.

Wang Laigui, a professor of Liaoning Polytechnic Engineering University, noted China has a potential to explore new energy resource such as coal bed methane, a clean and non-polluted gas, which can be used as fuel in home life, electric-power generating, industries and as chemical raw materials.

In recent years, China has made progress in exploration and utilization of coal bed methane which has been incorporated into the future plan of China's energy development. According to statistics, Coal bed methane reserves in China reach 30 trillion cubic meters.

"It is both economical and safe to tap coal bed methane," acknowledged Wang, "which can also help ease energy shortage in east China and stabilize the prices of petroleum and natural gas."

Besides coal bed methane, China has begun tapping on a trial basis the "burning mixture of natural gas and water", or "burning ice", which also constitutes a kind of clean and non-polluted energy resource.

The Guangzhou Maritime Geological Bureau in southern China confirmed five years ago that China had a "burning mixture of natural gas and water". Later, exploration indicated that the country is abundant in reserves of the "burning mixture".

It has been predicted that the "burning mixture" reserve in the world is twice the combined deposit amount of coal, petroleum and natural gas, which can satisfy the demand of human consumption of energy for approximately 1,000 years. 

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2004)