Energy for China

More diversity of supply, but demand is growing fast

China’s energy challenges are monumental. The economy is in the midst of a highly energy-intensive stage of growth, but domestic reserves


Many countries are experiencing rapid economic growth, industrialisation and urbanisation. But China’s sizzling pace of growth and its huge population make its energy needs particularly challenging. After two decades of rapid economic growth, China is now the world’s second largest energy consumer (behind the US). Total energy consumption has risen by an annual average of more than 11% during the past five years, reaching 1.7bn tonnes of oil equivalent in 2006.

China is well on its way to becoming the world’s biggest energy consumer. Its per-capita energy use remains relatively small