A coal-fired power station in Beijing
China’s gas strength has doubts longer term
The fuel will continue to displace coal in the coming years, but after 2030 the pace of gas growth may slow
Gas demand growth in China is expected to decelerate in the second half of the year, as a slowing economy that Beijing is struggling to stimulate starts to weigh on consumption. But the near-term outlook for the cleanest-burning fossil fuel remains upbeat, as authorities accelerate decarbonisation over the next five years. Chinese gas consumption is expected to rise by 6.5–7.7% year-on-year to reach 420–425bcm in 2024, according to an annual gas industry development report recently released by the National Energy Administration (NEA). Demand expanded by 8.7% in H1, to 210.8bcm, which implies a lower growth rate for H2 based on the full-year forecast. Consumption in H2 could reach 209.2–214.2
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