Economy

China's reliance on coal to drop 7 pct by 2015

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-20 18:12

BEIJING -- China's coal consumption is likely to drop to 63 percent of total energy consumption by 2015, down from 70 percent last year, said an official with the National Energy Administration (NEA) Tuesday.

Related readings:   Power generators report increased demand; coal costs dent profits  China Shenhua says H1 coal output up 3%  Eight detained after coal mine clash injures dozens

Non-fossil fuels will provide 11 percent of China's energy needs in 2015 and 15 percent in 2020, said Jiang Bing, head of the development and planning department of the NEA.

China's will focus on increasing consumption of non-fossil fuels and cutting carbon emissions over the next 5 years, Jiang said.

China closed 620 substandard small coal mines in the first five months of the year, said Zhou Xi'an, another senior official with the NEA at a press conference.