At first sight of the news on "Shandong Rizhao City to Promote Energy Saving and Build Low-carbon Traffic," we may consider it as a local act, but actually such kind of energy saving measure is being adopted by the whole country. This year is the last year of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, which is also the crucial year to complete the binding emission reduction targets. The completion, is not only linked to the next election, but also involved to next Five-Year Plan. Above all, there will be more and more news in the second half of the year.

As we all know, transportation is a major energy user and the control of it must be implemented for energy conservation. But the task is difficult and the passenger bus sector will be on the desk if the target of energy saving and emission reduction on transport sector doesn't complete.
 
In fact, energy conservation is not only critical this year but in the next few years. Although the 12th Five-Year Plan hasn't issued, the signs indicates that energy conservation is still very important in the next five years, and the policy instruments will be stricter and more standardized. News has disclosed that the fuel limits will be more and more tightly in the future.

The reason of all those movements is simple, because it's the only way to make companies closer to energy-saving and new energy vehicles. And the weapon is taxation and political target. Tax by way of reward or punishment, will force the market to disuse high-energy vehicles, but the political target will make the local governments to eliminate the vehicles high consumption and pollution.

Moreover, the Ministry of Industry is also preparing to clear the fuel consumption standards of the heavy commercial vehicles. In July, the Fuel Consumption Measurement Methods of Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles opens or public comments, the method of which is considered to be the basic standards and the ruler to test and compare the fuel consumption in heavy commercial vehicles.

Fuel consumption is the enemy of environmental protection and energy security, and the limit standards will continue to upgrade for energy reduction.

Recently the Automobile Association announced that the allowance policy for energy-saving vehicles would be canceled in two years, meaning the hybrid bus wouldn't be subsidized after 2013. For this point, the bus enterprises should grasp the opportunity.

Nowadays, many places take a variety of ways for energy reduction, and the use of natural gas as fuel for buses is trendy. In July, the city of Hangzhou, Xiangfan, Baotou and other places announced to introduce natural gas buses. Prior to this, there has been similar news. With the establishment of natural gas station and the increase of imported natural gas, natural gas will be applied more and more frequently in many cities.