China's energy consumption sees rapid growth in H1

China's energy consumption has witnessed rapid growth during the first half of this year, with power consumption in the industrial sector being a major driver, official data showed on Wednesday.

The country's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, expanded 16.2 percent year-on-year during the first six months of this year, as the country's economy continued to recover steadily, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA).

Power consumption in the industrial sector during the first half of this year grew 16.5 percent year-on-year, it said.

Consumption of natural gas kept increasing during the same period of time, up 21.2 percent compared with the same period of 2020 and 23.5 percent higher compared with that of 2019. Gas consumption in the industrial sector also exceeded that of previous years, according to Li Fulong, head of the development and planning office of the administration.

In response to the rapidly growing energy demand, the administration vows to continue stepping up the energy supply to ensure domestic energy security, through expanding the coal supply, ensuring the oil and gas supply as well as stepping up the transition of clean and low-carbon energy, said Li.

By the end of June, the country's installed power-generating capacity of hydropower, nuclear, wind and solar power amounted to 990 million kilowatts, 43.9 percent of the country's total installed power capacity, 2.9 percentage points higher compared with the same period of last year.

The country's installed power capacity for renewable energy reached 971 million kilowatts by the end of June, while renewable energy power generation reached 1.06 trillion kilowatt-hours, said the administration.