Shenzhen is set to broaden participation in its emissions trading scheme this year, with some 400 new industrial emitters brought in along with transport firms, Reuters reported Monday.

The industrial emitters will be included after calculations of their historical emissions showed they exceed the minimum threshold of 3,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, Reuters quoted Ge Xingan with the China Emissions Exchange in Shenzhen saying.

The expansion takes the total number of industrial end energy sector emitters in the Shenzhen ETS to about 1,035.

The municipal government has had plans to bring transport into the scheme for some time. Carbon Pulse understands that initially, bus and taxi firms will be included during the first half of 2015.

Observers expect a raft of announcements on new and expanded pilot trading activity this year, after Premier Li Keqiang earlier this month said China would continue deepening its carbon markets.

Last week, the Hubei municipal government confirmed it would add another 49 companies to its market this year.

Earlier on Monday, media in Gansu province reported the provincial government had approved the establishment of a pilot market in Jinchang and Jiuquan, two of the province’s cities.

By Stian Reklev – stian@carbon-pulse.com