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
9 January 2026
OPEC+ remains on track as output falls, with only Gabon failing to hit its output targets in December, although Kazakhstan’s compliance was involuntary
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
