Page 6 - AsiaElec Week 23

AsiaElec COAL AsiaElec

China’s coal imports fall 20% in

May even as power demand rises

CHINA CHINA’S monthly coal imports in May fell among industrial and residential users as compa-
nearly 20% year on year, as the post-coronavi- nies increase output as the government loosens
rus (COVID-19) recovery that has pushed up restrictions in the aftermath of the coronavirus
demand failed to offset earlier declines in March outbreak.
and April. Elsewhere, households have started to turn
General Administration of Customs (GAC) up air conditioning because of warmer weather,
data released on June 7 showed that imports a major seasonal increase in consumption.
amounted to 22.06mn tonnes in May, compared Elsewhere, lower hydropower generation,
with 30.95mn tonnes in April and 27.47mn alongside falling water stocks at major reservoirs
tonnes in May 2019, Reuters reported. in the country, have also shored up coal demand.
On a cumulative basis, in the first five months The government is expected to tighten coal
of this year, China imported 148.71mn tonnes of import rules in the second half of 2020 in a bid
the fuel, up 16.8% on the same period last year. to support domestic miners and to keep prices
The plunge in May slowed down the fast stable.
growth of China’s coal imports since the start Average daily coal usage at China’s six major
of 2020, with the total volume over the Janu- coal-fired utilities in coastal regions reached
ary-May period up 16.8% y/y to 148.7mn tonnes, about 628,500 tonnes in May, which is 15%
against the 26.9% y/y rise for January-April, higher than in April and also 7.7% more than
according to the GAC data. “Lower coal imports a year earlier, according to information from
in May mainly reflected fewer bookings in April.” financial data provider Wind.™
Electricity consumption has been rising

COAL-FIRED GENERATION

NSW advances CBM moratorium

AUSTRALIA THE state’s Labor Party opposition united with hundreds of millions of dollars paid to farmers,
the Greens and several independents to pass the with no significant environmental impacts and
Bill, which will now proceed to the Lower House. over 66,000 Gl of water returned to farmers for
For it to pass into law all it will take is for a their beneficial use, or injected back into aqui-
single Liberal or National member of the house fers,” McConville said.
to vote against their party’s agenda. If that were “The only way to put downward pressure on
to happen then Santos’ proposed Narrabri gas gas prices for customers, including manufactur-
project would be derailed. ers, is to increase supply and competition.
Santos has said the project, which is currently The Narrabri project does just that.” The pro-
before the state’s Independent Planning Com- posed moratorium’s successful trip through the
mission (IPC), could deliver 70 PJ (1.82bn cubic Upper House comes at a difficult time for the gas
metres) per year of additional gas to the domes- sector, given depressed energy demand owing to
tic market by 2023. With NSW importing 95% national social distancing measures.
of the gas it needs from other states, Narrabri Australian Energy Minister Angus Taylor
promises to help lower the state’s gas bill. said last week that the government believed a
The head of the Australian Petroleum Pro- “gas-fired recovery” would create jobs and drive
duction and Exploration Association (APPEA), economic growth.
Andrew McConville, has decried the passing of Taylor said: “Gas is flexible and provides
the Bill, saying its implementation would con- the dispatchable capacity we increasingly need
demn the state to higher gas prices and a slower to balance intermittent renewables and deliver
economic recovery. a secure, reliable and affordable electricity sys-
“The Bill ignores the proven track record of tem to power our homes, businesses and indus-
the onshore gas industry in Queensland, where tries.” He called on states to do more to increase
thousands of jobs have been created, billions of domestic gas production for the local market.™
dollars invested in regional communities, and

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 23 10•June•2020