Global coal demand to peak by 2030. National cumulative power installed capacity up 17.3% year-on-year
（2025/11/24—2025/11/30）
Author: Shu-Xin Zhang
International Energy News
1. Global coal demand to peak by 2030
The International Energy Agency (IEA) stated in its latest World Energy Outlook 2025 report that global coal consumption is expected to peak and begin declining by 2030. This is primarily due to the rapid expansion of alternative energy sources such as renewables, nuclear power, and natural gas, which will continue to erode coal’s share in power generation. By 2035, global coal consumption may decrease by 8%–20% from the 2024 level of 6.09 billion tonnes of standard coal, with the majority of the reduction coming from the power sector.
Although global electricity usage is projected to grow by approximately 40% between 2024 and 2035, renewables are expected to supply over 85% of this growth. By 2035, emerging and developing economies will add an average of more than 600 GW of new renewable capacity annually. During this transition, China, the world’s largest coal consumer, will remain a key market for renewables. The IEA noted that over the next decade, China will account for 45% to 60% of global renewable energy deployment and maintain its position as the world's largest manufacturer of renewable energy technologies.
2. G20 leaders jointly sign statement in support of Paris Agreement
At the opening of the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the host country representative revealed that 19 participating countries reached an “overwhelming consensus” to sign a substantive G20 leaders’ document. Despite the absence of a major power leader who publicly opposed a joint statement, the majority of member states demonstrated unity by endorsing a 30-page summit communique.
The document repeatedly emphasized climate change issues, reaffirmed commitments to the Paris Agreement and net-zero emissions targets, and highlighted that developing countries will need an estimated $5.8–5.9 trillion in funding by 2030 to implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Meanwhile, at another international climate forum, representatives from several countries pushed for a stronger climate agreement, explicitly supporting a transition roadmap away from fossil fuels and noting that ongoing fossil fuel production, licensing, and subsidies are incompatible with global temperature goals. The summit revealed both cooperation and divergence within the international community on climate and energy issues.
3. Colombia’s largest under-construction PV project achieves first grid connection
On November 25, local time, the Escobales 148MW photovoltaic project in Colombia, constructed by Sinohydro Bureau 11, successfully achieved its first grid connection, marking a significant milestone in the project’s development. This achievement lays a solid foundation for subsequent full completion and operation, setting another exemplary standard of high-quality project execution by PowerChina in Colombia and the broader Latin American renewable energy market.
As the largest photovoltaic project currently under construction by PowerChina in Colombia, it is expected to generate over 260 GWh of clean electricity annually once fully operational. This will meet the electricity needs of tens of thousands of local households and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 200,000 tonnes per year, contributing significantly to optimizing Colombia’s energy structure and promoting a clean, low-carbon transition. The project team stated that it will continue to advance subsequent construction with higher standards and stricter requirements to ensure the project is fully completed on schedule with high quality, contributing “Chinese strength” to Colombia’s green development.
Domestic energy news
1. National cumulative power installed capacity up 17.3% year-on-year
Data released by the National Energy Administration shows that as of the end of October, the country’s cumulative installed power generation capacity reached 3.75 billion KW, a year-on-year increase of 17.3%. Among this, solar power capacity was 1.14 billion kW, up 43.8% year-on-year, and wind power capacity was 590 million kW, an increase of 21.4%.
From January to October, newly added installed power generation capacity nationwide was 397.84 million kW. This includes 8.35 million kW from hydropower, 65.08 million kW from thermal power, 1.53 million kW from nuclear power, 70.01 million kW from wind power, and 252.87 million kW from solar power. Regarding power investment, from January to October, completed investment in national power grid projects amounted to 482.4 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.2%.
2. China’s longest crude oil pipeline cumulative oil transmission exceeds 200 million tons
According to information from PipeChina West Pipeline Company, as of November 21, China’s longest crude oil pipeline–the West Crude Oil Pipeline–has been operating safely and stably for 18 years, cumulatively transporting over 200 million tons of crude oil. The West Crude Oil Pipeline is China’s first large-diameter, long-distance pipeline for the sealed sequential transportation of multiple varieties of crude oil. Stretching 1,541 kilometers from Shanshan County in Xinjiang in the west to Lanzhou City in Gansu Province in the east, it is a crucial support for the strategic “West Oil East Transmission” corridor.
Since its commissioning in 2007, the West Crude Oil Pipeline has achieved several breakthrough industry advancements: its oil transmission rate increased from the initial 1,000 cubic meters per hour to over 2,000 cubic meters per hour; the transported oil products have also been optimized from the early sequential transmission of four single varieties to the sequential transmission of multiple blended varieties... demonstrating the achievements of China’s pipeline technology iteration and management upgrades.
Furthermore, since 2015, the pipeline’s initial station has fully utilized the elevation differences of its 28 storage tanks and the layout of process pipelines, conducted in-depth analysis of historical oil transfer data, and implemented the optimized “pressure-for-transfer” process transformation. This saves up to 4 million kWh of energy annually, achieving an organic unity of safety benefits, economic benefits, and environmental benefits.
3. Sichuan electricity into Jiangsu ultra-high voltage transmission exceeds 500 billion kWh
As of November 22, the two major “Sichuan-Jiangsu” ultra-high voltage transmission projects had cumulatively delivered clean hydropower to Jiangsu exceeding 500 billion kWh, reaching 505 billion kWh. This is equivalent to saving more than 150 million tons of standard coal and reducing over 475 million tons of CO₂ emissions, strongly promoting regional energy structure optimization and green, low-carbon development.
In 2012, the ±800 kV Jinping-Suzhou ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC) project was put into operation, raising DC transmission capacity to 7.2 million kW, representing the highest level of UHVDC transmission technology in the world at that time. In 2022, the ±800 kV Baihetan-Jiangsu UHVDC project was completed, with a maximum transmission capacity of 8 million kW, further enhancing East China’s ability to absorb clean energy and improving grid resilience.
The Jinping and Baihetan hydropower bases supply Jiangsu with about 55 billion kWh of electricity each year, accounting for approximately 30% of Jiangsu’s total external power receipts, making them the province’s most important interregional power source. The large-scale introduction of clean hydropower has effectively driven Jiangsu’s industrial energy consumption structure toward “greener” pathways. Over the past decade, Jiangsu has supported an average annual GDP growth of 6.5% with an average annual energy consumption growth of only 3% and carbon emission growth of 1.5%, significantly increasing the region’s “green content.”
(Main news sources: CCTVNEWS APP, Xinhua New Media, International Energy Network, China Energy Network, National Energy Administration)
