China to use more natural gas in energy mix to 2035

China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) expects China to cut its coal use to 44% of energy consumption by 2030 and 8% by 2060 as the country aims to use more natural gas to achieve its climate change goals.

China, the world's biggest coal consumer, is expected to increase the use of natural gas in its primary energy mix to 12% in 2030 from 8.7% in 2020, said Zhu Xingshan, senior director, Planning Department CNPC at a conference on Thursday.

He added that the share of natural gas in energy consumption is expected to increase "significantly" from 2030 to 2035.

China, the world's largest energy consumer and biggest emitter of climate warming greenhouse gases, has vowed to bring its total carbon emissions to a peak before 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2060.

Natural gas is expected to be a key bridge fuel over the next two decades, CNPC has said.

The energy giant expects coal to make up 44%, petroleum at 18%, natural gas at 12% and non-fossil fuel to make up 26% of the total energy mix in 2030.

The estimates for 2060 were coal at 8%, petroleum at 6%, natural gas at 11% and non-fossil fuel at 75% of the total energy mix.

China lowered the share of coal use in its primary energy mix to 56.8% in 2020, from around 68% at the beginning of the previous decade and expects this share to fall to below 56% in 2021. 

• Most Read
• Most Commented