China ahead of schedule in non-fossil fuel goal – white paper

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Non-fossil fuel accounted for 15.3% of China’s energy consumption mix in 2019, ahead of the scheduled goal of 15% by 2020, according to a white paper issued by the state council on late Monday.

Also, the country has been successful in raising energy efficacy and shifting towards low-carbon energy structure. Clean and low-carbon are directions of its energy development.

Based on the white paper, called China Energy Development under New Era, its energy consumption per GDP dropped by 24.4% during 2012-2019, equivalent to a reduction of 1.27bn tonnes of standard coal.

GDP growth averaged 7% in that period but energy consumption only increased by an average of 2.8%.

In addition, China has been enhancing reform in energy consumption and curbing non-reasonable energy use.

The share of coal in its energy consumption mix fell to 57.7% in 2019 from 68.5% in 2012, the share of clean energy (including natural gas, hydropower, nuclear and wind power etc) rose to 23.4% in 2019 from 14.5% in 2012.

Non-fossil fuel’s share surged to 15.3% in 2019 from 9.7% in 2012, the paper said.

On energy supply side, the country has established a multi-wheel system that includes coal, oil, gas, power, nuclear, new energy and recyclables to safeguard supply.

In 2019, the country’s first energy production totaled 3.97bn tonnes of standard coal, the world’s biggest.

During 2012-2019, its coal outputs were 3.41bn-3.97bn tonnes, oil productions were 190m-210m tonnes.

Natural gas outputs rose to 176.2bn cubic metres in 2019 from 110.6bn cbm in 2012.