Coal and renewables gear up for China demand fight
The engine of global gas demand growth may be at risk of a fuel problem
The prominence of gas in changing China’s coal-dominated power mix may face more substantial challenges than forecast from renewables and so-called ‘clean coal’—potentially calling into question the electricity sector’s oft-touted future role as a pillar of Chinese gas demand growth. Until recently, the consensus view was that the power sector would be a major contributor in bolstering China’s future gas consumption. Growth in gas demand for power generation grew by an estimated 30pc in 2018, with 281TWh of electricity produced from the cleaner-burning fuel, according to the IEA. The IEA forecast in 2018 that gas demand from China’s power sector would reach 84bn m³ by 2023, up from 50bn m³ i
Also in this section
23 January 2025
The end of transit, though widely anticipated, leaves Europe paying a third more for gas than a year ago and greatly exposed to supply shocks
23 January 2025
The country’s government and E&P companies are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to increase domestic crude output as BP–ONGC tie-up leads the way
22 January 2025
The return of Donald Trump gives further evidence of ‘big oil’ as an investable asset, with the only question being whether anyone is really surprised
21 January 2025
The new president must put his cards on the table and tell the American people, and the world, if the US is formally abandoning the energy transition
