China's National Energy Bureau has granted licenses to 16 national energy research and development centers.

The 16 centers include R&D into materials, nuclear grade zirconium, nuclear power station digital device control systems, and wind turbines. Other research areas include ocean wind power technology and ultra high voltage direct current transmission.

According to Zhang Guobao, the director of NEB, the 16 centers involve such key energy sectors as nuclear power, wind power, high efficiency power generation and transmission. Zhang commented that the establishment of the centers is of great significance to the building of China's energy technology infrastructure and meeting the demands of the country's energy structure optimization and energy technology equipment market. Zhang said that as a large energy supplying and consumption country, China attaches great importance to energy technology and it has set up a department to be devoted to energy conservation and technology equipment management. Zhang stated that the 16 centers were established with the support of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance in addition to research institutes and institutions of higher learning across the country.