According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, cement output increased by 2.3% y/y in 2014 to reach 2.48 billion t. Crude steel production also grew, rising by 1.2% y/y. Compared to 2013, crude oil output increased by 0.7% y/y while coal production declined by 2.5% y/y to 3.87 billion t.
Although coal accounted for 66% of the country’s total energy consumption in 2014, consumption of coal fell by 2.9% y/y. Meanwhile, the consumption of crude oil, natural gas and electric power grew by 5.9%, 8.6% and 3.8% y/y, respectively.
Energy consumption/t of cement decreased by 1.12% y/y.
Paul Maxwell-Cook presents another review of the major countries that are making the headlines in the Far East, in this abridged article from World Cement's February 2015 issue.