China sets cap on energy use

BEIJING - China on Wednesday issued an energy development plan to cap primary energy consumption at 4.8 billion tons of standard coal equivalent per year by 2020.

The share of non-fossil fuels in its total energy mix will rise to 15 percent by the same year, according to a plan released by the State Council.

To meet the targets, annual coal consumption will be held at 4.2 billion tons until 2020, which is 16.3 percent more than the 3.6 billion tons burned last year, according to statistics from China National Coal Association.

Energy self-sufficiency rate will be boosted to around 85 percent and clean energy, such as natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy will be favored. Installed nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 58 million kilowatts by that year.