China's energy consumption rose 5.9% in 2010 to 3.25 billion metric tons of coal equivalent, though growth of such consumption was expected to slow as Beijing promotes cleaner fuels and lowers its target for broader economic growth.
The country consumed 5.3% more coal, 12.9% more crude oil, 18.2% more natural gas and 13.1% more electricity than in 2009, preliminary data issued Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
China became the world's largest energy consumer in 2009, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency.
Coal accounts for around 70% of China's energy mix, and the country is trying to trim that dependency by promoting use of cleaner fuels such as natural gas, nuclear power and renewables such as wind and solar energy.
Energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product, also known as energy intensity, fell 4.01% in 2010, the Bureau of Statistics said.
Source：www.cnr.cn