LITTLETON, Colo Nov 23 (Reuters) - China is set to delight and depress climate trackers in equal measure in 2022 by setting new global records in both clean power utilisation and coal-fired electricity emissions. China's electricity generation from solar power was up by more than 30% in January to October on the same period in 2021, while electricity from wind power jumped 25% to cement the country's status as by far the world's largest deployer of renewable energy, data from Ember shows. But over the same period, China's use of coal to produce electricity also climbed to new highs, as did the associated emissions. Indeed, if China's coal use follows traditional seasonal patterns and rises by roughly 30% in December from October's total, then full-year carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired electricity production will top 4.5 billion tonnes in 2022. That's more carbon dioxide than all of Europe's energy sector emitted in 2021, and marks a 1 billion tonne rise in China's coal-powered electricity emissions since 2017, according to BP's Statistical Review of World Energy. China's total power needs in 2022 have been curbed by repeated COVID-19 lockdowns that have hampered manufacturing activity in several areas and slowed industrial output. If China's economic activity had been stronger this year, it is likely that the country's coal use and emissions would have been even higher, especially as record-high natural gas prices reduced the economic appeal for power producers of switching from coal to cleaner-burning gas. COVID containment measures continue to stifle overall economic activity and spending, while a weakening property sector is causing a steep drop in domestic investment that may further curb overall power use in the months ahead. However, the gloomy macroeconomic environment is likely to spur Beijing to unveil policies designed to stimulate... |