China’s energy consumption and coal use reaches decade highs
China has recorded its biggest increase in both total energy consumption and coal use in a decade last year, as its economy recovered from the pandemic slowdown.
The latest data from the country’s statistics bureau have revealed China used 5.24bn tonnes of coal equivalent of energy last year, up 5.2 per cent from 2020.
This is the fastest rate of growth since 2011, which was chiefly powered by coal consumption amid booming gas prices.
Coal consumption increased 4.6 per cent, which is the strongest rate of growth in a decade.
Despite stringent measures, including limiting electricity use in some regions, China’s energy intensity – a ratio measuring how much energy is used per unit of economic growth – fell just 2.7 per cent in 2021.
This below China’s targeted reduction rate of around three per cent for the year.
China prioritises pandemic recovery over green targets
China is the world’s biggest coal burner and greenhouse gas emitter, and the country’s president Xi Jinping has pledged to bring the country’s carbon emissions to a peak by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060,
The government has further pledged to restrict construction in high energy-consuming industries and has urged companies to save energy and boost efficiency.
Yet, its actions continue not to match government rhetoric – with China failing to set a cap on total energy use or on carbon emission levels.
The latest data also reveals China approved the expansion of hundreds of collieries last year, involving an annual capacity increase of about 420m tonnes.
Output reached a record high as it strived to guarantee energy supply following a nationwide power shortage.
Meanwhile, the state planner has ordered coal miners to maximise operations to ensure market supply, and last week said daily coal output has rebounded to the level of late 2021.
This suggests China is easing up on environmental pledges to shore up an economy hit by supply-chain disruption and “zero-COVID” restrictions.
The world’s second largest economy is scheduled to reveal targets for energy intensity and carbon intensity – which measures how much carbon is emitted while growing the economy – on Saturday during an annual gathering of parliament.