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China reduced its energy intensity by 4.8% in 2014

According to the State Council, energy intensity in China decreased by 4.8% between 2013 and 2014. The energy intensity measures the amount of energy needed to generate one unit of GDP. The Chinese government, which aims to reduce the energy intensity by 16% between 2010 and 2015, had set a target of 3.9% cut in energy intensity in 2014, after a 3.7% drop in 2013. According to preliminary data, coal consumption decreased by 2.1% in the first 11 months of 2014 (compared to the same period of 2013), while power production only increased by 3.2% in 2014, a record low since 1998. Energy consumption from large industrial facilities was also impacted by an industrial restructuration move observed in the past four years, with a cut in outdated production capacities of cement (570 Mt) and of steel (75 Mt). Meanwhile, China's GDP growth slowed down and reached 7.4% in 2014, its lowest level since 1990.