In 2000, the US consumed twice the energy of China. But by 2009, China had become the world’s leading energy consumer, according to a new International Energy Agency report.
How much energy did China burn through last year? 2,252 million tons of oil equivalent (sources include oil, nuclear power, etc)—only about 4% more than the US, who, in all fairness, still consumes the most energy per capita.
A different metric? Three years ago, China was the world’s biggest exporter of coal. Now it’s the leading importer. And last year, for the first time ever, Saudi Arabia sold more oil to China than the US.
Given that China’s consumption will give them more negotiation power in the world’s power market, it may be a good time to buck our trend of a mere 2.5% energy efficiency increase per year. [CNN via CrunchGear and image]
