Latest news with #powerplants
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China Shuns Low-Grade Coal From Indonesia as Imports Collapse
(Bloomberg) -- Indonesia bore the brunt of a sharp fall in China's coal imports last month, underscoring how Chinese power plants have shifted away from lower-quality fuel due to persistent domestic oversupply. Why the Federal Reserve's Building Renovation Costs $2.5 Billion Trump Awards $1.26 Billion Contract to Build Biggest Immigrant Detention Center in US Salt Lake City Turns Winter Olympic Bid Into Statewide Bond Boom Milan Corruption Probe Casts Shadow Over Property Boom How San Jose's Mayor Is Working to Build an AI Capital China's coal purchases in June plunged 26% from last year to 33 million tons, the least since February 2023. The decline was led by a 30% drop from top supplier Indonesia, whose shipments include a higher proportion of low-calorie lignite. Although record local production has slashed China's import requirements, the size of the decrease is striking given that electricity demand for air conditioning usually rises at this time of year. Moreover, the figures include relatively resilient purchases of steelmaking coal, indicating an even steeper drop-off in demand for the fuel used in power generation. 'Imports are likely to remain on a downtrend as Chinese power plants have to prioritize long-term trade commitments to domestic miners,' said local pricing agency which cited faster adoption of renewables and flagging industrial demand as dragging on prices. That's a particular problem for Indonesian exporters. Over the past three years, China has stepped up imports of lignite, or brown coal, from the Southeast Asian nation, blending it with higher grades for use in power stations. But the collapse in domestic prices to four-year lows has allowed utilities to source better-quality supplies more cheaply. Moreover, the government in Jakarta is considering export levies on coal, which will only weaken the fuel's attractiveness for buyers in China. Some relief on domestic oversupply could be due. Beijing has warned it may shutter coal mines guilty of producing above permitted levels, in the latest sign that regulators are getting serious about reining in overcapacity across industries. China's imports of coking coal for steel, meanwhile, dropped 7.7% year-on-year to 9.1 million tons, although that figure was 23% higher than the previous month. With Australian shipments affected by weather disruptions, the relatively steady demand benefited China's other big suppliers of higher-grade fuel, notably Mongolia and Canada. The outlook for China's beleaguered steel industry remains uncertain, though. While margins have improved at mills — supporting consumption of inputs such as iron ore and coal — government-mandated efforts to shrink steel capacity would ultimately undermine the markets for blast furnace ingredients. On the Wire China's steel demand showed signs of recovery in the first half, rising 4.3% from a year earlier as gains in the auto and machinery sectors offset weakness in property, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The platinum market has tightened to unprecedented levels in the past few days as tariff fears and speculative buying pull metal from the key London and Zurich markets into warehouses in the US and China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he will meet his Chinese counterparts in Stockholm next week for their third round of trade talks aimed at extending a tariff truce and widening the discussions. This Week's Diary (all times Beijing) Wednesday, July 23 Iron ore resource development conference in Ningbo, Zhejiang, day 1 CCTD's weekly online briefing on Chinese coal, 15:00 CSIA's weekly polysilicon price assessment Thursday, July 24 EU-China summit in Beijing China solar association's mid-year conference in Datong, Shanxi, day 1 Iron ore resource development conference in Ningbo, Zhejiang, day 2 CSIA's weekly solar wafer price assessment Friday, July 25 China solar association's mid-year conference in Datong, Shanxi, day 2 Iron ore resource development conference in Ningbo, Zhejiang, day 3 China's weekly iron ore port stockpiles Shanghai exchange weekly commodities inventory, ~15:30 Saturday, July 26 Nothing major scheduled Sunday, July 27 China's industrial profits for June, 09:30 Elon Musk's Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of Elon Musk Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China's Border Thailand's Changing Cannabis Rules Leave Farmers in a Tough Spot How Starbucks' CEO Plans to Tame the Rush-Hour Free-for-All ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
8 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
China Shuns Low-Grade Coal From Indonesia as Imports Collapse
Indonesia bore the brunt of a sharp fall in China's coal imports last month, underscoring how Chinese power plants have shifted away from lower-quality fuel due to persistent domestic oversupply. China's coal purchases in June plunged 26% from last year to 33 million tons, the least since February 2023. The decline was led by a 30% drop from top supplier Indonesia, whose shipments include a higher proportion of low-calorie lignite.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China Shuns Low-Grade Coal From Indonesia as Imports Collapse
(Bloomberg) -- Indonesia bore the brunt of a sharp fall in China's coal imports last month, underscoring how Chinese power plants have shifted away from lower-quality fuel due to persistent domestic oversupply. Why the Federal Reserve's Building Renovation Costs $2.5 Billion Trump Awards $1.26 Billion Contract to Build Biggest Immigrant Detention Center in US Salt Lake City Turns Winter Olympic Bid Into Statewide Bond Boom Milan Corruption Probe Casts Shadow Over Property Boom How San Jose's Mayor Is Working to Build an AI Capital China's coal purchases in June plunged 26% from last year to 33 million tons, the least since February 2023. The decline was led by a 30% drop from top supplier Indonesia, whose shipments include a higher proportion of low-calorie lignite. Although record local production has slashed China's import requirements, the size of the decrease is striking given that electricity demand for air conditioning usually rises at this time of year. Moreover, the figures include relatively resilient purchases of steelmaking coal, indicating an even steeper drop-off in demand for the fuel used in power generation. 'Imports are likely to remain on a downtrend as Chinese power plants have to prioritize long-term trade commitments to domestic miners,' said local pricing agency which cited faster adoption of renewables and flagging industrial demand as dragging on prices. That's a particular problem for Indonesian exporters. Over the past three years, China has stepped up imports of lignite, or brown coal, from the Southeast Asian nation, blending it with higher grades for use in power stations. But the collapse in domestic prices to four-year lows has allowed utilities to source better-quality supplies more cheaply. Moreover, the government in Jakarta is considering export levies on coal, which will only weaken the fuel's attractiveness for buyers in China. Some relief on domestic oversupply could be due. Beijing has warned it may shutter coal mines guilty of producing above permitted levels, in the latest sign that regulators are getting serious about reining in overcapacity across industries. China's imports of coking coal for steel, meanwhile, dropped 7.7% year-on-year to 9.1 million tons, although that figure was 23% higher than the previous month. With Australian shipments affected by weather disruptions, the relatively steady demand benefited China's other big suppliers of higher-grade fuel, notably Mongolia and Canada. The outlook for China's beleaguered steel industry remains uncertain, though. While margins have improved at mills — supporting consumption of inputs such as iron ore and coal — government-mandated efforts to shrink steel capacity would ultimately undermine the markets for blast furnace ingredients. On the Wire China's steel demand showed signs of recovery in the first half, rising 4.3% from a year earlier as gains in the auto and machinery sectors offset weakness in property, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The platinum market has tightened to unprecedented levels in the past few days as tariff fears and speculative buying pull metal from the key London and Zurich markets into warehouses in the US and China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he will meet his Chinese counterparts in Stockholm next week for their third round of trade talks aimed at extending a tariff truce and widening the discussions. This Week's Diary (all times Beijing) Wednesday, July 23 Iron ore resource development conference in Ningbo, Zhejiang, day 1 CCTD's weekly online briefing on Chinese coal, 15:00 CSIA's weekly polysilicon price assessment Thursday, July 24 EU-China summit in Beijing China solar association's mid-year conference in Datong, Shanxi, day 1 Iron ore resource development conference in Ningbo, Zhejiang, day 2 CSIA's weekly solar wafer price assessment Friday, July 25 China solar association's mid-year conference in Datong, Shanxi, day 2 Iron ore resource development conference in Ningbo, Zhejiang, day 3 China's weekly iron ore port stockpiles Shanghai exchange weekly commodities inventory, ~15:30 Saturday, July 26 Nothing major scheduled Sunday, July 27 China's industrial profits for June, 09:30 Elon Musk's Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of Elon Musk Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China's Border Thailand's Changing Cannabis Rules Leave Farmers in a Tough Spot How Starbucks' CEO Plans to Tame the Rush-Hour Free-for-All ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Large US Grid Lacks Capacity for New Data Centers, Watchdog Says
The biggest US grid has no spare supply for new data centers, meaning project developers will need to build their own power plants, according to the system's independent watchdog. 'There is simply no new capacity to meet new loads,' said Joe Bowring, president of Monitoring Analytics, which is the independent watchdog for PJM Interconnection, the grid that extends from Washington to Chicago. 'The solution is to make sure that people who want to build data centers are serious enough about it to bring their own generation.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Natural Gas Dominance Unchallenged in Global Energy Landscape
With much of the world's attention focused on wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles, natural gas has grown in importance as the backbone of modern energy systems. It fuels power plants, heats homes, drives industry, and—through liquefied natural gas (LNG)—connects continents. The newly released 2025 Statistical Review of World Energy highlights just how indispensable natural gas has become, despite mounting pressure to decarbonize. Following the previous article on global oil production and consumption trends, let's dig into the numbers behind the global gas market, with a focus on production, consumption, and the increasingly critical role of LNG exports. U.S. Still Leads the Pack in Production In 2024, global natural gas production reached a record-breaking 398.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). The United States alone accounted for 25% of that, producing just under 100 Bcf/d. That marked a slight decline from the record output in 2023, but still more than five times Canada's output, its closest North American peer. Much of this strength comes from the shale gas revolution that began about 20 years ago, turning the U.S. into both the world's largest natural gas producer and ultimately the world's top LNG exporter. Russia, which the U.S. overtook for first place among gas producers in 2011, remains the world's second-largest producer, with 60.8 Bcf/d of output in 2024. But that figure remains below its pre-sanction highs as exports to Europe dried up and pipeline projects faced delays. Moscow has attempted to pivot to Asian markets, but logistical and political hurdles have slowed progress. Other top producers include: Iran and Qatar, which remain vital players in the Middle East, producing around 25 and 17 Bcf/d, respectively. China, whose domestic gas output has doubled over the past decade, now stands at 23 Bcf/d—an impressive feat as the country pushes to displace coal with cleaner-burning alternatives. Australia, at 14 Bcf/d, has carved out a global leadership role in LNG, although future growth may be constrained by aging fields and regulatory pressure. Africa's contributions are modest in comparison. Algeria leads the continent with 9.1 Bcf/d, followed by Egypt and Nigeria. Infrastructure bottlenecks and underinvestment have limited the continent's broader potential. Notably, over the past decade, more than half of global natural gas production growth has come from OECD countries, albeit production in the EU has declined by two-thirds. This underscores that despite a global push toward renewables, countries continue to seek flexible energy supplies that balance affordability with lower carbon intensity. Consumption: Asia Rises, OECD Stabilizes Global consumption of natural gas in 2024 hit an all-time high of 398 Bcf/d, more than double the level seen in 1990. Much of this growth has been driven by non-OECD nations—and especially Asia. The U.S. remains the world's largest consumer at 87 Bcf/d, accounting for about 22% of global demand in 2024. Russia is in second place at 46 Bcf/d, although growth has slowed over the past decade. China is third, with consumption more than doubling over the past 10 years to reach 42 Bcf/d. This reflects both rapid industrialization and government efforts to reduce air pollution by shifting growth away from coal. Other notable consumers include: Iran: 24 Bcf/d, largely for domestic use. Canada and Saudi Arabia: Around 12 Bcf/d each, largely for petrochemicals and power. Japan and Germany: Just under 9 Bcf/d each, with both showing signs of decline as efficiency measures and renewables gain ground. India: 6.8 Bcf/d, growing gradually, especially in fertilizer and power sectors. Regionally, Asia-Pacific has nearly caught North America in total consumption. As of 2024, the region accounts for 23.6% of global demand—led by China, India, and Japan. OECD nations still make up over 43% of the total but there has been essentially no overall growth there since 2018. Even Africa, long a minor player in gas demand, is beginning to scale. Countries like Algeria and Egypt are seeing stronger growth, both due to improved energy access and the local development of gas resources. The data tells a compelling story: over the past decade, 74% of the 70 Bcf/d in global demand growth came from non-OECD nations—a reversal from the early 2000s when the developed world drove expansion. LNG: The Real Game-Changer If there's one segment that has transformed global gas dynamics in the past decade, it's liquefied natural gas. In 2024, global LNG exports hit nearly 546 billion cubic meters—or roughly 53 Bcf/d—tripling since 2010. The United States now leads the world in LNG exports, shipping more than 11 Bcf/d in 2024. Just 15 years ago, the U.S. was building LNG import terminals. Today, it's not only energy self-sufficient, but also helping allies diversify away from Russian supply. Qatar, the long-time global leader, is now second at 10.3 Bcf/d. While its export volumes have plateaued, Qatar is investing heavily in capacity expansion and could reclaim its crown in coming years. Australia is close behind, also at 10.3 Bcf/d, but faces declining output from mature fields. Other notable exporters include: Russia: 4.3 Bcf/d of LNG exports—limited by sanctions and slow infrastructure development. Nigeria and Algeria: The backbone of Africa's with 4.9 Bcf/d of LNG exports between them. Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei: Significant Asia-Pacific suppliers, though overshadowed by newcomers. Papua New Guinea: A rising player, with over 1.1 Bcf/d in LNG exports despite only recently entering the market. Trinidad & Tobago: The Caribbean's major LNG supplier, though its output has declined from previous highs. Europe remains mostly a consumer of LNG rather than a supplier. Norway contributes modestly, while the rest of the continent plays a marginal role in exports. Perhaps the most important observation here is how the LNG trade has shifted from a few key producers to a broad mix of suppliers across five continents. That diversification has created a more liquid and flexible gas market. Looking Ahead: Natural Gas in a Decarbonizing World Despite widespread climate commitments, natural gas remains essential to global energy stability. Its role as a bridge fuel—replacing coal while enabling the growth of intermittent renewables—has only grown in recent years. Still, challenges remain. Price volatility, infrastructure constraints, and mounting regulatory pressure—particularly in Europe—are reshaping how gas is produced, moved, and consumed. The regulatory push toward carbon capture, hydrogen blending, and lower methane emissions will continue to evolve the landscape. But if the past decade is any guide, natural gas is far from becoming obsolete. It's global, flexible, and adaptable—and if anything, it has cemented itself as the quiet giant of the energy world. By Robert Rapier More Top Reads From this article on
