With rapid and sustained economic growth, China has consistently remained the world’s largest energy consumer.
In 2012, China accounted for one-fifths of the world’s total primary energy demand. Coal remained the fuel of choice for the country, accounting for nearly 68.5 percent of total energy use. China also accounted for about half of the global consumption of coal.
Oil was the second largest fuel consumed at 17.7 percent. Natural gas consumption reached 4.7 percent, doubling in the past ten years. Non-fossil fuels accounted for 9 percent, gaining one percent from 2011. The fastest growing fuel was renewables, gaining a quarter from 2011.
In Beijing, 16.7 percent of the PM 2.5 particles results in coal fire. Recently, with the heating being turned on in northern China, concerns have been raised over the pollution caused by the inefficient coal-based system.
To tackle it, China has decided to cut consumption of the fossil fuel to below 65 percent of primary energy use by 2017. The plan also aims to raise the share of non-fossil fuel energy to 13 percent.