China's energy use down slightly by 2% in 2011

China’s energy use per unit of GDP dipped only 2% last year compared to its goal of reducing its energy use by 16% by 2015.

China cut its energy usage in 2011 to 0.79 tons of standard coal equivalent for every RMB10,000 (US$1,570) of its GDP, according to the government.

China plans to cut its energy use per unit of GDP by 16% by 2015 from the level in 2011. It also aims to increase non-fossil fuel energy use to 11.4% of its total energy consumption from the current 8.6%.

To meet these targets, China is implementing measures that include the closure of old thermal power plants and iron and cement workshops and a push for the use of renewable energy such as solar and wind.

The government also hopes to cut greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40% to 45% compared to 2005 levels.

The data for 2011, however, seem to show China falling far short of achieving these objectives and some regions are reporting increasing energy use.

Beijing achieved the greatest drop in energy use in 2011 by 6.9% to 0.45 tons of standard coal equivalent per unit of GDP. West China's Qinghai province, however, registered the greatest increase in power usage per unit of GDP. Its energy usage rose 9.4% followed by a 6.9% increase in west China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region