The soft science subject research on urban energy use undertaken by IET, passed appraisal of scientific and technological achievements on Dec. 21st, 2012. The appraisal conference was organized by CSEE (Chinese Society of Electrical Engineering). The subject is derived from soft science project “Management approach of small distributed power station” chaired by the National Energy Bureau. In the research, development modes, technology solutions, economic targets and support conditions of distributed energy system in China was studied from nine aspects, including the direction and goal of distributed energy development in urban areas.

The appraisal committee is composed of ten experts from Ningbo University, Beijing University of Technology, Guohua Energy Investment Ltd., Shenhua Group, Institute of Energy Research, State Grid, China Power Engineering Consulting Group, China Datang Corp., China Power Investment Corp., Institute of Electrical Engineering, CAS, Huadian International Ltd., China Academy of Electric Power, respectively. Academician Yan Luguang played as chairman for the appraisal committee, and Director Hu Xiangyan from CSEE chaired the conference. Fang Zhu, a senior staff from New Energy and Renewable Energy Division, National Energy Bureau, also attended the conference on behalf of the commissioning side. Deputy director Zhao Xichao from IET attended and addressed the conference. Director Qin Wei from IET gave work report and technical report as the subject leader.

After procedures of project report, data access,expert query, live reply, discussion, the committee considered that the sustainable development mode of urban energy proposed in the research was of guiding significance for regional energy development planning and implementation in urbanization; and that the regional energy planning method which was put forward on urban energy consumption and supply structure would contribute to filling in gaps of comprehensive energy plan lacking between the current single energy planning and social development planning; and that the establishment of comprehensive evaluation system for China's urban energy use and sustainable energy factor evaluation indexes would provide a quantitative assessment method for the regional energy planning.

At last, the appraisal committee gave a high evaluation that the subject would fill gaps in studies of the field and reach a leading level in China.