Five-year first: Global coal imports decline; China among world’s fastest in reducing energy intensity since 18th CPC National Congress
（2025/12/22—2025/12/28）
Author: Shu-Xin Zhang
International Energy News
1. Five-year first: Global coal imports decline
Global thermal coal imports experienced their first annual decline since 2020 in 2025. According to Kpler statistics, total seaborne thermal coal imports for the year are projected to be approximately 945 million tons, a decrease of 50 million tons (5%) compared to 2024. The decline in imports from the Asian market was particularly notable, with annual imports falling to 841 million tons—a reduction of 60 million tons (7%) year-on-year—making it a key driver of the contraction in global trade. China’s imports dropped to approximately 305 million tons, down 43 million tons (12%) year-on-year, while India imported about 157 million tons, a slight decrease of 3%. Japan and South Korea imported approximately 100 million tons and 76 million tons, respectively. According to energy think tank Ember, China’s share of coal-fired power fell to a historic low of 55.3% in the first half of 2025, reflecting the ongoing transformation of the country’s energy mix.
Meanwhile, on December 12, the Indian cabinet approved a new policy allowing power plants with excess coal inventory to export up to 50% of their coal quotas, with flexible allocation within corporate groups, creating policy conditions for India to expand coal exports.
2. Japan restarts its largest nuclear power plant
Amid protests, the Niigata Prefectural Assembly passed a confidence vote for the governor on December 22, 2025, effectively approving the restart of Japan’s largest nuclear power plant—Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant. This marks the first restart of a nuclear plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The reactor is expected to begin restart operations on January 20, 2026. The restart plan aligns closely with the Japanese central government’s energy policy, which aims to enhance energy security and reduce costs by promoting nuclear power.
However, the plan faces dual resistance from local public opinion and safety concerns. Polls show that around 60% of local residents believe the safety conditions for restarting the plant have not been met, while nearly 70% of respondents expressed clear concerns about the plant being operated by TEPCO. Although a specific reactor at the plant had previously passed safety reviews, the restart process was halted due to subsequent exposure of safety vulnerabilities such as aging equipment and incomplete emergency systems. Even after the ban was lifted, fuel loading work for the reactor was repeatedly interrupted due to operational failures and equipment abnormalities. Whether the restart can proceed safely will continue to draw close attention from various sectors.
3. Argentina opens its first solar highway
The province of San Juan in Argentina has officially put into operation the country’s first solar-powered highway. The project is located along National Route A014 and consists of 36 solar panel arrays with a capacity of 5 kilowatts each, distributed across various sections of the road. Each power generation unit integrates photovoltaic modules, metal structures, an inverter conversion system, and high-efficiency LED lighting equipment, fully meeting the highway’s nighttime lighting needs through photovoltaic power generation and achieving energy self-sufficiency.
The project, led by the provincial state energy department, draws on distributed solar corridor models already implemented in the Netherlands, South Korea, and California, USA, and has been optimized to adapt to the region’s exceptional solar radiation conditions. During the construction phase, the project created over 80 local jobs, covering professions such as engineering, electrical work, welding, and photovoltaic installation. Data shows that San Juan Province currently hosts over 50% of Argentina’s solar power plants, highlighting its significant role in the country’s solar energy development.
Domestic energy news
1. China among world’s fastest in reducing energy intensity since 18th CPC National Congress
A report on the implementation of the Energy Conservation Law, recently reviewed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, highlights the law’s significant achievements. From 2007 to 2024, China’s energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by approximately 43%, saving a cumulative total of 2.3 billion tons of standard coal. Notably, since the 18th CPC National Congress, energy consumption per unit of GDP has fallen by 27.2%. With an average annual energy consumption growth rate of 3.3%, China has supported an average annual economic growth of 6.1%, positioning itself as one of the fastest countries globally in reducing energy intensity.
The report indicates that China has established an energy conservation legal framework centered on the Energy Conservation Law, with supporting policies across industries such as construction, transportation, and public institutions. In 2024, over 97% of newly constructed urban buildings were certified as green buildings, while new energy vehicles accounted for 40.9% of total vehicle sales, and new energy buses made up 82.7% of the public transport fleet. The report also notes that challenges remain, including the need to further improve energy efficiency. As energy conservation has become the most direct and effective path toward achieving the “dual carbon” goals, efforts must continue to advance conservation work to a higher level.
2. Goal to achieve approximately 15 GW of solar thermal power capacity by 2030
The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration recently issued the “Several Opinions on Promoting the Large-Scale Development of Solar Thermal Power,” aiming to reach approximately 15 GW of installed solar thermal power capacity by 2030, with costs per kilowatt-hour comparable to coal-fired power.
To further advance solar thermal power development, the document proposes optimizing the allocation of solar thermal power capacity within large-scale energy bases and constructing a series of support and regulation-oriented power stations dominated by solar thermal power. It also emphasizes optimizing power station operations to enhance the role of solar thermal power in supporting new power systems and enabling solar thermal plants to participate in power market regulation.
Additionally, the new policy encourages technological innovation to reduce costs and improve efficiency in the solar thermal industry while establishing a systematic development mechanism. The document also outlines a range of support measures in areas such as project financing, power market mechanisms, green electricity value enhancement, and land use guarantees.
3. World’s first commercial supercritical carbon dioxide power generation unit launched in Guizhou
On December 20, the world’s first commercial supercritical carbon dioxide power generation unit, “Super Carbon One,” was successfully put into commercial operation in Liupanshui, Guizhou. As the world's first project to transition supercritical carbon dioxide waste heat power generation technology from the laboratory to commercial application, it marks a significant technological breakthrough in the efficient utilization of medium- and high-temperature heat sources for small- to medium-scale power generation, representing a milestone achievement.
The “Super Carbon One” unit uses supercritical carbon dioxide as the working fluid and adopts a closed Brayton cycle technology, achieving an over 85% improvement in power generation efficiency and over 50% increase in net power output compared to existing sintering waste heat steam power generation technologies. The system is also more streamlined, with a 50% reduction in land use and more convenient operation and maintenance. In addition to this demonstration project, a related “molten salt energy storage + supercritical carbon dioxide power generation” demonstration project was launched in 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2028, providing strong support for advancing energy technology innovation and green transformation.
(Main news sources: CCTVNEWS APP, Xinhua New Media, International Energy Network, China Energy Network, National Energy Administration, pv magazine)
