SINGAPORE, July 12 — A surge in hydropower output in China this year, boosted by record-breaking rainfall, is helping the world’s biggest polluter meet green targets as well as cut liquefied natural gas imports amid tight global supplies.
“The situation in China this year is very unique, mainly because the Covid-19 restrictions limited power demand and the fast-growing renewables are able to meet the slow power demand growth,” said Li Shuo, senior adviser with Greenpeace. Meanwhile, thermal-power production, mostly from coal-fired utilities, dropped 4 per cent in the January-May period.
China currently relies on coal for about 60 per cent of electricity generation, down from over 75 per cent in 2010, 3-5 per cent on gas and the rest on renewables. Its dam-building has triggered criticism from some environmental groups concerned about damage to eco-systems and people’s livelihoods, as well as from neighbouring countries that say dams on the Mekong are impacting water levels in the region.
Imports slid 20 per cent in the first five months from a year earlier, though more gas is coming in via pipelines. The drop in China’s demand could move it down one notch to become the world’s No. 2 importer after Japan this year, analysts said.
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