Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for increased coal production in light of record electricity usage in the country due to the heatwave. Early Summer heatwave has resulted in 8.8 per cent increase in electricity consumption in northwest China while it is 3.2 per cent in north China. These figures were reported by Chinese state media.
In Shandong, Henan and Jiangsu provinces, records for maximum electricity loads were broken.
According to the state media, Li Keqiang “urgeed tapping into advanced coal capacity, securing power supply and resolutely preventing power outages amid the peak summer season”, according to state media.
There were widespread power cuts in China last year. It was also regarded as energy crisis.
Although Keqiang has called for increased coal production to avoid energy crisis, such a step may affect China’s ability to meet carbon emission goals.
In 2020, China announced goal of reaching peak carbon emissions by 2030 and becoming a carbon-neutral country by 2060. Although China has reported third consecutive quarter of carbon emission reductions last year, experts have attributed it to Covid pandemic.
Though China invests lot of money in wind and solar, its electrical system remains dependent on coal. It uses more than 50 per cent of the national supply.
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