Green energy fuels China's power spike

Power consumption in China rose 6.2 percent year-on-year in November, official data showed on Wednesday, driven by a surge in high-tech manufacturing and service sectors as the country nears a record-breaking year for energy demand.

Total electricity usage reached 835.6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) for the month, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA). The figures underscore a structural shift in the world's second-largest economy toward advanced manufacturing and green infrastructure.

The tertiary industry — which includes services — outpaced other sectors with a 10.3 percent increase, totaling 153.2 billion kWh. Within this sector, demand was fueled by the rapid expansion of China's green energy ecosystem, the NEA stated.

Growth was particularly pronounced in the green and digital sectors, where demand for electric vehicle (EV) charging and battery-swapping services surged by 60.2 percent, while consumption in the information technology and software industries climbed by 18.9 percent.

The secondary industry (manufacturing and construction) grew by 4.4 percent to 565.4 billion kWh. According to the NEA, growth in high-tech and equipment manufacturing reached 6.7 percent in November.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn