Issues on Energy Production and Consumption in China - Essay Example

College Energy Production and Consumption in China China is among the world’s most populated country in the current fast growing world economy of recession and inflation. Following its large population, the energy sources are diversely used and needed by millions of citizens, industries and institutions within china. It is therefore the world’s largest energy consumer in terms of countries but also it is among the main energy production countries. The huge population demands much more energy than some countries put together. For efficiency, China is known to be the largest oil producer, consumer as well as importer. Oil is their main source of energy. On average, current statistics place china as the largest importer of petroleum as well as other liquid fuels. China consumes its energy through oil production. It has the leading and most stable oil companies hence the efficiency in access. The oil prices keep shifting on the international market depending with China’s oil production. The country has seen to it that its large population consumes more of oil, as they produce it domestically and go further ahead to import more. The main sources of imported oil by china include, production from Russia, Kazakhstan and Myanmar. China has pipeline connection with those countries hence serve as one of their energy sources. Apart from oil, china is known to use coal as another of its primary source of energy. China is also world’s largest coal producer and consumer. Statistics and trends over the years indicate China as the country that consumes half the coal in the world. This is factual considering its large population over the years. Electricity in China is generated using coal as opposed to other countries that use renewable sources of energy for electricity. Among oil and coal as the leading energy producers for China, natural gas and several renewable energy plants are being employed in the country. Following the demand of natural gas, China opts to import it as it produces it in small amounts and has few sites for its production. Some renewable energy plants are underway in their set up using China’s deep waters. The reforms in energy productions are now being fronted by the government of China. China also uses Uranium and nuclear energy as some sources of fuel. The major trading countries of energy with China include India, The US, Europe and many other countries. India happens to be another populous country neighboring China. Being the two most populated countries, they both share trade in energy. On average they are the world’s largest energy consumers following their populations. India and China correlate not only because they share borders, they are also the two largest Asian countries in the world. The US and Europe are the other two superpower nations that are directly involved in world trades. Energy consumption in the two is also on the rise following their technological advancements as well growth in industries. In the US and Europe, energy is mostly consumed through industrial use and not by its citizens. They both import oil from China as well as coal which is however not preferable. As mention earlier, pipeline linkages are in existence to help energy trades between China and Russia, Myanmar as well as Kazakhstan. These are the other main traders of energy with China. China have developed a short term plan to oversee their demand and supply between now and 2015 and a long term plan of that covers the energy production and consumption until 2050. Being a superpower economically, China is probably thriving but experts say that the demand for exports in on the low and will continue to lower over the years. However, the Chinese estimate that they have coal energy that could last 100 years in supply. It is upon every country to survive with surplus production of energy with less demand for export. Most countries that import energy from China will in future find ways to produce their own energy using renewable sources. When this happens, China and other energy producing countries will have less exports. On the other hand, China is working towards employing natural gas and renewable energy to replace coal. The threats to climate change and concerns from other countries has brought about this changes. The supply for coal will shift and go lower following less domestic production. The Chinese will have to start using another source of energy. Their dependence on coal has led to less demand for other sources of energy therefore a shift in energy source where coal supply will become less will lead to increased demand for natural gas and other environmentally conducive sources of energy. Analysts say that with the current trends, the import for natural gas will rise approximately by 2015 by 18.5% per annum. This is a huge amount of natural gas import, meaning demand and awareness for clean energy will increase by 2015. Coal will definitely reduce significantly in its demand as well as export. Few countries will opt to import coal from China following the adverse climate change across the globe. The demand and supply of most energy source will solely depend on the climate change and energy security as well. China is hopeful that by 2050, their dependence on coal will be history. They plan to supply renewable energy domestically as they import natural gas following increased demand in clean energy. Environmental challenges are facing the energy sector in China. Their dependence on coal lead to pollution in air. Coal produces large amounts of carbon dioxide gas and the emissions causing air pollution. The amount of carbon dioxide released on an hourly basis in china is too much for any population. Global warming is a current challenge in environmental issues and China is one of the countries that are facilitating the increase in global warming. Statistically, china releases about 14.5 % of world’s carbon dioxide emissions solely from coal industry. This is a challenge coming with their energy production and consumption as well as their dependence on unclean energy. A problem that is affecting the whole globe. The main geopolitical problem facing the energy market in China is the fact that they share some rivers with India, a neighboring country. Upon establishing renewable energy plants using the waters from the rivers, political issues arise as the rivers are not known where they belong. The two countries have failed to establish that. These rivers are along the Himalayan border and can increase market for clean energy if hydroelectric plants are set up. 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