China burned record amounts of coal, oil and natural gas last year after ending Covid-era restrictions, even as the country accelerated its energy transition push.
Coal consumption rose another 5.6% from the prior year’s record, according to annual data released Thursday by the National Bureau of Statistics.
Oil and gas use returned to growth after a rare decline during lockdown-plagued 2022. Carbon emissions per unit of gross domestic product, the reduction of which is China’s key short-term climate goal, remained flat.
Still, signs of the country’s climate push were apparent. Coal’s share of total energy fell after rising in 2022 for the first time in a decade, while the share of low-carbon energy increased. The country also added record wind and solar capacity last year, which could lead coal use and emissions to fall beginning this year.
Other highlights from the report include:
- Total energy consumption rose 5.7% to 5.72 billion tons of standard coal equivalent last year, compared to a 2.9% rise in 2022
- Coal consumption +5.6% y/y vs +4.3% in 2022
- Oil consumption +9.1% y/y vs -3.1% y/y in 2022
- Gas consumption +7.2% y/y vs -1.2% y/y in 2022
- Total energy production rose 4.2% to 4.83 billion tons of standard coal equivalent last year
- Wind generation rose 16% to 8.86 terrawatt-hours
- Solar generation rose 37% to 5.84 terrawatt-hours
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