China Wants More Coal
September 21, 2026
tags: China
By Paul Homewood
The Energy Institute, which took over the BP Energy Review, have sent out their latest newsletter:
One interesting piece of news comes from China:
China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) and later targets have called for, among other measures, the creation of around 100 million tonnes/year of coal production-capacity reserve (production+net imports-consumption) by 2030.
Over the past 25 years, China has also substantially increased coal production, with output more than tripling. China’s coal supply surplus (production-net imports-consumption) is already around 600 Mt/year, roughly six times the target. Domestic production already exceeds demand by around 120MT per annum.
China’s coal-fired power generation was historically the main driver of rising global carbon emissions. But now, China’s coal-fired power sector may be weakening. The country’s coal-fired power fleet lags in capacity factor (estimated at around 50%) compared with an estimated global average of around 57%, and coal-fired generation declined in 2025.
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2026/09/21/china-wants-more-coal/#more-93031
