If you have not viewed my video on the US/China climate deal, now is a good time.
Coal demand in China dropped by around 2.3% in the first eleven months of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013, government figures show.
Production of coal in China declined by 2.1% and imports fell 9.0%. Meanwhile, China’s economy and production of electricity continued to grow.
The latest figures reinforce analysis by Greenpeace last October suggesting that Chinese coal consumption was going down.
This reflects “a rapid loss of market share for coal in 2014,” says Tim Buckley, director of energy finance studies at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).
It has been edged out by alternative sources of electricity generation across China: wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, biomass and natural gas.
IEEFA predicts that global coal demand will peak in 2016, mirroring China’s reduced reliance on the fuel.
Between 2000 and 2010, China’s demand for coal grew at an average of 9% per year. In 2013, the country was responsible for 47% of global consumption.
That has driven rising greenhouse gas emissions. China’s emissions per person are now greater than in the EU, although remain less than half than the US.
China is also investing heavily in renewable energy. In 2013, China installed 12GW of solar power, more than any other country.
Chinese authorities are considering banning any new coal-to-gas projects in a move that could save emissions equivalent to Australia’s annual output.
Reports in the Chinese press suggest Beijing is considering halting approvals for new coal to gas and coal to oil projects as part of its next five year plan for the industry, mostly as a result of oversupply of gas.
Deutsche Bank analysts also reported on the proposal, citing “people familiar with the 13th FYP for coal”. It noted that the four coal-to-gas projects currently under construction are expected to complete construction during the 13th FYP and contribute 15bcm gas p.a. by 202.
But Chief of Energy Research Institute of NDRC Zhang Yousheng said China may not approve new coal-to-gas projects mainly because there will be sufficient gas supply and even oversupply in the country.
Such a move would have a huge impact on China’s carbon dioxide emissions because the process of converting coal to gas or oil is extremely emissions intensive.
Greenpeace says that an analysis done with Energydesk found that China’s coal to gas projects could release more than 1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
That is around three times the planned emissions reductions in the US between now and 2020 or equivalent to the annual total of Australia and New Zealand combined.
I don’t understand this idea that fossil fuel power plants “use” so much water. Surely the water they use is not destroyed – it simply re-enters the water cycle, is evaporated, and falls as pure rainwater?
The dry rivers in China shown in the video, above, are dry – why? The inference is that they are dried up because they are diverted for power production, but this can’t be the case, right? Surely there are other/additional reasons for dry river beds in China?
cooling water can be returned to its source, but evaporative losses are significant.
mining, processing, and transporting coal are extremely water intensive practices, however. Fracking likewise.
In areas that are already water stressed, these are breaking the budget.