China Projects Coal Shortage At 330 Million Tons By 2010

[hatrack]

"Experts estimate that China will consume 2.2 billion tons of coal by 2010, causing a shortage of 330 million tons, Wang Xianzheng, vice director of the State Administration of Work Safety, said Tuesday at an annual exposition. "The present size and scale of China's coal industry are far from being able to meet the country's future market demand. Insufficient supply will continue to be a major problem," Wang said.

Wang addressed a high-profile forum on China's energy strategy at the ongoing Eighth China Beijing and International High-tech Exposition, which opened Monday.

He said China's current coal production capacity, with all types of coal mines included, is about 1.67 billion tons. Of the total, only 1.2 billion tons were produced by mines up to the country's safety production standards. By 2010, China's coal output may reach 1.87 billion tons, he said.

With 87.4 percent of China's proven energy reserve being coal, the Chinese people have long been taking coal as their fundamental energy resources. China's coal sector, however, is still plagued by problems such as irrational industrial structure, expensive operation costs and higher production risks, Wang said."

EDIT

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200505/24/eng20050524_186587.html

[phantom power]

1. hold on a minute.

Did they just say that coal is "expensive" and "risky"?

[Massacure]

6. China's coal mining infrastructure really isn't up to snuff.

They use a small army of peasants to mine the stuff compared to a few high paid technicians in the United States.

[Double T]

2. Control Of The Available World Energy Reserves Will Lead To WW III.

...Damn. The Mayans were right again.

[whistle]

3. Why don't we (U.S. coal companies) starting exporting coal to...

...China to make up the 330 million ton per year shortfall and also cut down on the trade deficit with China. At $36.00 per short ton (???) that would result in $11.9 billion in next export trade to China would it not?

[phantom power]

4. Although, at the expense of the Appalachians.

And more greenhouse warming.

[amandabeech]

8. I have read that coal companies are mining as fast as they can

now just to keep up with U.S. demand. A few years ago, everyone thought that increased U.S. production would come from natural gas, but since then, it has become clear that there isn't enough gas in North America and importing enough to meet our electrical power needs by LNG ship carrier would be extremely expensive even if enough terminals could be built. Hence, we're back to coal for our base-line generation, at least until a Democratic president and congress can change things.

[NobleCynic]

5. Why do you think China is now diversifying heavily in nuclear power?

<http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2005/05/16/afx2028525.html>

There is a reason China is expanding nuclear power, and environmental damage and the impending supply shortage of coal are primary factors. Having been in Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu, I can testify that air pollution is a serious problem in Chinese cities. Not just from coal power plants, but from the coal used in cook fires and to heat homes. With so many millions of people it adds up.

Mind you, that China is expending its nuclear power investments at a time where we are considering the same is certainly portentious for those concerned about global security, but environmentally speaking nuclear power makes alot of sense for China right now. When a noonday sun with no cloud cover is dark orange, it is real easy to sell nuclear power over coal power.

[hatrack]

7. Friend of mine spent a couple of weeks in China - he never saw the sun

Sure, there was a white disk hanging behind a curtain of smog/fog/cloud but direct sunlight? Never happaned.