China Plans to Boost Coal Production to Avoid Power Shortages Despite Climate Change Efforts

China is planning to increase its coal production to 4.6 billion tons by 2025, a 12% rise from the previous year, in an effort to avoid power shortages. This move, however, contradicts the country's goal of reducing carbon emissions, with some experts warning that carbon emissions will rise faster than expected by 2030. The decision comes after last year's power shortages, which led to blackouts, and a slowdown in economic growth. China, a major investor in wind and solar power, aims to meet its targets for non-fossil fuel sources, which currently supply only a small portion of the country's power.

Key Takeaways:

• China plans to increase coal production to 4.6 billion tons by 2025, a 12% rise from 2024's 4.1 billion tons, according to Ren Jingdong, a deputy director of the National Energy Administration.
• The ruling party aims for 20% of power to come from non-fossil fuel sources by 2025 and 25% by 2030, which includes wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, and geothermal energy.
• China spent tens of billions of dollars on solar and wind farms to reduce reliance on imported oil and gas and clean up its smog-choked cities.
• Coal is expected to supply 60% of China's power in the near future despite efforts to increase renewable energy sources.
• China has made progress in reducing carbon emissions per unit of economic output, with a 3.8% reduction in 2021, an improvement over 2020's 1% gain but down from a 5.1% cut in 2017.
• Last year's total energy use increased 5.2% over 2020 after a revival of global demand for Chinese exports propelled a manufacturing boom, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
• The decision comes after last year's power shortages, which led to blackouts, and a slowdown in economic growth, with economic growth sliding to 2.2% in the first six months of this year.
• China accounted for about half of global investment in wind and solar in 2020.

Statistics:

• 4.6 billion tons: China's planned coal production by 2025, a 12% increase from 2024.
• 4.1 billion tons: 2024's coal production.
• 7%: The planned increase in coal production this year.
• 300 million tons: The planned increase in coal production this year compared to 2023.
• 20%: The target share of non-fossil fuel sources in China's power supply by 2025.
• 25%: The target share of non-fossil fuel sources in China's power supply by 2030.
• 60%: The expected share of coal in China's power supply in the near future.
• 3.8%: Reduction in carbon emissions per unit of economic output in 2021.
• 1%: Reduction in carbon emissions per unit of economic output in 2020.
• 5.1%: Reduction in carbon emissions per unit of economic output in 2017.
• 5.2%: Increase in total energy use in 2021 compared to 2020.

Sources:

• Bahrain News Agency (BNA)
• AP
• National Energy Administration
• National Bureau of Statistics