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China’s Fuel Production By your fellow class mates Nic & Seb China’s Coal & Oil Deposits Energy Production in china • Most of the energy production in China is comprised of coal, which in 2006 accounted for 76.7% of total energy production. • Imports of coal show no sign of slowing with a 15.6% increase in imports of coal last month (September 2010) Is It Sustainable • • • • • • • China’s export-driven economy consumes large amounts of energy and other resources. To meet this rising demand, the power sector has increased it capacity a staggering 12 percent per year in the past decade. Coal has become abundantly available within China, coal provides three-quarters of the country’s electricity and will remain the primary energy source for the foreseeable future. China’s Rapid energy growth is unsustainable under the current economic structure Climate Change has added to china’s coal demand. Colder winters and Warmer summers means the overall energy consumption is increasing, as heating is increased in winter, and airconditioning increased in summer. Morally the huge energy consumption isn’t sustainable, mining accidents killed nearly 3,900 people and injured many more in 2007 Behind China’s large production and consumption of coal, lie expensive and worrying environmental and social costs which haven’t been accounted for – Pollution affected water, land and air around mines – Buring of coal led to emissions of mercury and acid rain China’s coal industry has hidden annual costs of $250bn (£159bn) in terms of damage to health and the environment Some Issues • Accidents and damage to health & the environment produce hidden annual costs of $250bn to China’s coal industry. Pollution and environmental damage accounted for 10% of China’s GDP in 2006 • 2007 saw 3,800 deaths in Chinese coal mines • Emissions of sulphur dioxide are the highest in the world, which not only causes acid rain but respiratory and cardiovascular diseases • Pollution from burning oil and coal has meant that only 1% of China’s urban population (560mil) breathe in air that is considered safe by the EU. - Beijing has 141 micrograms of PM10 pollution per cubic meter (EU recommends anywhere above 40 is unsafe) • China can not meet its oil needs and has to import vast quantities (June 2010 imports were 5.4million barrels a day) • Increasing demand for oil and “diminishing” global supply will only mean that oil prices will rise further In The News • 26/10/10 • A new tax law is in consideration to reduce car tax for cars with smaller engines (<1.6ltr) and to increase tax considerably for cars with larger engines (>2.5ltr). "The main aim of the law is to reduce energy consumption through effective fiscal and tax measures“ - Jia Kang, Ministry of Finance. • http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/201010/26/content_11455933.htm More In The News • 20/10/10 • In the ongoing challenge to find more coal reserves for Chinese use, two of the big players in the Chinese coal industry have teamed up to carry out a 5-year R&D project into a supposed 10billion tonnes of coal reserves in Queensland, Australia. • http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/201010/20/content_11435105.htm Worth a Look • http://blogs.ft.com/energysource/2010/01/14/could-china-fall-out-oflove-with-coal/ • http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/201002/10/content_9459274.htm • http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/201010/25/content_11455780.htm