technological and non-technological. Technological paths include improving the lubrication
and cylinder fuel injection systems to raise the
conversion efficiency of the internal combustion
engine. The engine ignition system should be
improved to boost engine stability, component
service life should be increased to reduce the
need for spare parts, and design modifications
made to enhance fuel economy. Advanced
energy-efficient technologies should be developed to improve the performance and fuel
economy of hybrid electric vehicles, petrol and
diesel engines, heavy-duty vehicles and engines,
and diesel-fuelled saloon and light-duty vehicles.
Non-technological paths include the provision of
sufficient highway and transport facilities,
on-demand production of vehicle models and oil
products, and fuel-efficient driving, all of which
can significantly reduce vehicle energy
consumption.
5.3 Natural Gas
5.3.1 Current Trends in Natural Gas
Demand
According to the Ministry of Land and Resources
of the PRC, by the end of 2014, China’s proven
reserves of natural gas were 4.9 trillion cubic
metres. In the same year, China imported 33
billion cubic metres of gas, accounting for 55.5%
of total gas imports. Most of these gas imports
came from Turkmenistan, with a small amount
from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Myanmar.
Imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) was
18.93 Mt (equivalent to 26.5 billion cubic
metres), accounting for 44.5% of total gas
imports. These LNG imports came mainly from
Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Qatar.
In 2014, China’s apparent natural gas consumption
10 stood at 186.89 billion cubic metres,
including domestic gas of 130.16 billion cubic
metres and imported gas of 59.13 billion cubic
metres. China’s gas exports were 2.61 billion
cubic metres. Total gas consumption by industry;
households; transport, warehousing and postal
services; wholesale, retail, accommodation and
catering; and other sectors was 122.13 billion
cubic metres (65%), 34.2 billion cubic metres
(18%), 21.44 billion cubic metres (12%), 4.66
billion cubic metres (3%) and 4.4 billion cubic
metres (2%) respectively (Fig. 48).
China’s natural gas consumption was 46.7
billion cubic metres in 2005 and 106.9 billion
cubic metres in 2010, jumping to 192 billion
cubic metres in 2015. As China increases its
efforts to reduce carbon emissions and control
pollution, during a period of growing urbanisation, its demand for natural gas will gradually
increase. China’s natural gas consumption is
predicted to reach 290 billion cubic metres in
2020, equal to an average annual growth rate of
7.5%, and 480 billion cubic metres in 2030. The
share of natural gas in China’s total energy
consumption will increase from 5% in 2015 to
12% in 2030.
By sector, gas demand in mining will peak
and then decline, while that of manufacturing
will grow, sourced mainly from coal-to-gas. Gas
demand in power generation and heating holds
huge potential and could increase substantially in
the future. Increased gas demand in transport will
come mainly from vehicles fuelled by compressed or liquefied natural gas. Gas demand by
households will maintain steady growth.
Figure 49 shows the trends and forecasts for
China’s natural gas demand over 30 years.
China is one of the world’s largest natural gas
consumers in terms of total consumption, but its
gas consumption per capita is lower than comparable countries. In 2014, China’s gas consumption (187 billion cubic metres) ranked third
in the world, but was only 25% that of the USA
(759.4 billion cubic metres) and 46% that of
Russia (409.2 billion cubic metres). However,
China’s gas consumption per capita (137 m
3 /
person) was only 5.8% that of the USA
(2,382 m
3 /person), 4.8% that of Russia
(2,845 m
3 /person) and 29.3% of the world
average (467 m
3 /person). Even if China’s total
gas consumption reaches 480 billion cubic
metres and gas consumption per capita registers
350 m
3
/person in 2030, it would be no more than
10
Apparent gas consumption is a country’s dry natural gas
production plus imports minus exports.
Special Report 2: Research on China’s Energy Demand Revolution
273
and cylinder fuel injection systems to raise the
conversion efficiency of the internal combustion
engine. The engine ignition system should be
improved to boost engine stability, component
service life should be increased to reduce the
need for spare parts, and design modifications
made to enhance fuel economy. Advanced
energy-efficient technologies should be developed to improve the performance and fuel
economy of hybrid electric vehicles, petrol and
diesel engines, heavy-duty vehicles and engines,
and diesel-fuelled saloon and light-duty vehicles.
Non-technological paths include the provision of
sufficient highway and transport facilities,
on-demand production of vehicle models and oil
products, and fuel-efficient driving, all of which
can significantly reduce vehicle energy
consumption.
5.3 Natural Gas
5.3.1 Current Trends in Natural Gas
Demand
According to the Ministry of Land and Resources
of the PRC, by the end of 2014, China’s proven
reserves of natural gas were 4.9 trillion cubic
metres. In the same year, China imported 33
billion cubic metres of gas, accounting for 55.5%
of total gas imports. Most of these gas imports
came from Turkmenistan, with a small amount
from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Myanmar.
Imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) was
18.93 Mt (equivalent to 26.5 billion cubic
metres), accounting for 44.5% of total gas
imports. These LNG imports came mainly from
Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Qatar.
In 2014, China’s apparent natural gas consumption
10 stood at 186.89 billion cubic metres,
including domestic gas of 130.16 billion cubic
metres and imported gas of 59.13 billion cubic
metres. China’s gas exports were 2.61 billion
cubic metres. Total gas consumption by industry;
households; transport, warehousing and postal
services; wholesale, retail, accommodation and
catering; and other sectors was 122.13 billion
cubic metres (65%), 34.2 billion cubic metres
(18%), 21.44 billion cubic metres (12%), 4.66
billion cubic metres (3%) and 4.4 billion cubic
metres (2%) respectively (Fig. 48).
China’s natural gas consumption was 46.7
billion cubic metres in 2005 and 106.9 billion
cubic metres in 2010, jumping to 192 billion
cubic metres in 2015. As China increases its
efforts to reduce carbon emissions and control
pollution, during a period of growing urbanisation, its demand for natural gas will gradually
increase. China’s natural gas consumption is
predicted to reach 290 billion cubic metres in
2020, equal to an average annual growth rate of
7.5%, and 480 billion cubic metres in 2030. The
share of natural gas in China’s total energy
consumption will increase from 5% in 2015 to
12% in 2030.
By sector, gas demand in mining will peak
and then decline, while that of manufacturing
will grow, sourced mainly from coal-to-gas. Gas
demand in power generation and heating holds
huge potential and could increase substantially in
the future. Increased gas demand in transport will
come mainly from vehicles fuelled by compressed or liquefied natural gas. Gas demand by
households will maintain steady growth.
Figure 49 shows the trends and forecasts for
China’s natural gas demand over 30 years.
China is one of the world’s largest natural gas
consumers in terms of total consumption, but its
gas consumption per capita is lower than comparable countries. In 2014, China’s gas consumption (187 billion cubic metres) ranked third
in the world, but was only 25% that of the USA
(759.4 billion cubic metres) and 46% that of
Russia (409.2 billion cubic metres). However,
China’s gas consumption per capita (137 m
3 /
person) was only 5.8% that of the USA
(2,382 m
3 /person), 4.8% that of Russia
(2,845 m
3 /person) and 29.3% of the world
average (467 m
3 /person). Even if China’s total
gas consumption reaches 480 billion cubic
metres and gas consumption per capita registers
350 m
3
/person in 2030, it would be no more than
10
Apparent gas consumption is a country’s dry natural gas
production plus imports minus exports.
Special Report 2: Research on China’s Energy Demand Revolution
273