1. Improve tax policies
It is suggested that relevant national departments issue regulations to clarify that the tax policies originally enjoyed by power generation enterprises also apply to desulfurization franchise units, namely professional desulfurization companies; For new projects, it can be clarified at the same time as the approval of the project by the National Development and Reform Commission that the desulfurization of the project will adopt a franchise operation mode, which will be invested, constructed and operated by a professional desulfurization company. According to current tax laws and regulations, the state levies value-added tax on the sale of electricity products at a rate of 17%. The desulfurization electricity price, as a part of the electricity price composition, will also be subject to value-added tax on the income generated. Due to the fact that desulfurization franchising belongs to pollution control services, research should be conducted on levying business tax on desulfurization electricity price revenue, or still levying value-added tax, but allowing power plants to issue value-added tax invoices to desulfurization professional companies for collecting desulfurization electricity fees.
2. Adjusting the desulfurization electricity price policy
It is recommended that relevant national and local governments continue to introduce policies and preferential measures to incentivize desulfurization in thermal power plants. For the heating part of thermal power plants, old power plants, coal-fired power plants with high sulfur content, and special power plants with high desulfurization costs due to objective conditions (such as poor coal quality pithead power plants or power plants located in high-altitude areas), reasonable electricity price compensation should be provided to meet cost requirements; For the excess power generation, the desulfurization electricity price should not be deducted; Policies such as allocating special funds for subsidies (which can be paid from pollution discharge fees) and providing loan interest subsidies should be adopted to ensure the production and healthy and stable operation of desulfurization facilities.
3. Establishing an Environmental Protection Industry Investment Fund
Industrial investment fund refers to an investment and financing method in which a fund manager raises funds and manages fund assets from specific investors, and the fund is managed by a fund custodian. It mainly provides equity investment and value-added services to unlisted enterprises, and has special profit sharing and risk constraint mechanisms between fund investors and managers. At present, the vast majority of environmental protection enterprises engaged in the desulfurization industry are facing financing difficulties. Due to limitations such as company size and ownership, it is difficult for these enterprises to obtain bank loans, and even fewer can obtain financing through direct financing methods such as stocks and bonds. Establishing a thermal power environmental protection industry investment fund can concentrate social funds through scientific and standardized institutional arrangements for fundraising and investment operations to invest in industrial development through equity investment, establish a bridge between idle social funds and investment projects, effectively solve the problem of insufficient project funds, and open up an important and stable channel for promoting the development of flue gas desulfurization and related environmental protection industries in thermal power plants.
