China will speed up the development of clean energy in Tibet Autonomous Region from 2016 to 2020, under the principle of "putting the environment first," according to an energy official.

The initiative will boost the local economy and increase strategic reserves of clean energy, Nur Bekri, head of the National Energy Administration, said on Thursday at a conference on Tibet's energy development held in the regional capital of Lhasa.

The government will construct new hydropower projects to meet local demand, the official said.