RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:More on Global Oil Demand Going ForwardNo, more coal fired plants do not directly increase oil consumption, that wasn't the point I was trying to make.
As is often the case in Asia, it is far more important for one to give the appearance that you are doing something on the surface, instead of actually doing what truly makes a difference.
It exposes China's hypocrisy that they are claiming to be champions of climate initiatives by presenting higher rates of EV adoption, while in reality, they continue to power them and expand their long term electrical needs with the dirtiest fuels on the planet. This is not making the air cleaner. I live about 150 kms from the Chinese border, fortunately it is not a very over populated dirty area of China.
China now has up the world's largest SPR crude reserves and storage facilities, and continues to build more and expand existing ones. They are doing this because they know that even this reserve is not enough to meet future demand, and it will need to pull energy from all sources. Why would they do this if they were phasing out oil?
Unlike the west, which has allowed itself to be kneecapped by special interst groups to the point that we do not have enough affordable energy to power our industry. We constrain ICE vehicle use, and can barely burn natural gas for heat without a massive costs in our own country. China is doing the opposite, moving ahead on all energy fronts with coal, wind, solar, oil, gas, hydro, and nuclear all at the same time.
China has no problems buying whatever it wants from the dirtiest suppliers. There are no morals, and they will push others out of the way to get it at the price they want. Ever had the pleasure of being at a dinner buffet with a Chinese tour group? Same thing.
China will always have the ability to burn whatever they please, especially when the price of oil or gas climbs too high due to lack of supply and excess global demand. They are not stupid enough like the west has been to paint themselves into a corner, as we restrict and eliminate the few existing options for affordable abundant energy we have in place now, and all the while we sit on the third largest oil reserves on the planet right beneath our feet, and are holding ourselves back from developing it.
(China rant over)
Experienced wrote: Call me thick my friend but I don't see how the fact that China and SE Asia are building coal fired plants presents an argument that the world will need more oil.