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☆ China is untangling its economy from the West. It could be preparing for long-term tensions — and an invasion of Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

What's more, Xi Jinping has told the Chinese military to prepare for war and said that reunification with Taiwan is inevitable. But not everyone thinks a Chinese military move is necessarily imminent. If China was actively preparing for a near-term invasion of Taiwan, Kennedy said there are a few things he might expect to see first. AdvertisementIf China does invade, the global economic impact would be huge, and despite its efforts to secure its economy, China would likely be far from unscathed. "Any action against Taiwan would be disastrous for China's economy," Chilukuri said.

Persons: —, Vivek Chilukuri, Scott Kennedy, It's, Chilukuri, Xi Jinping, China's, Jinping, Kennedy, he'd Organizations: Service, Business, West, Center, New, New American Security, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: China, Southeast Asia, Europe, US, Taiwan, New American, United States, Russia, Ukraine, Hong Kong

☆ Solar Companies Seek New U.S. Tariffs on Asian Imports
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Alan Rappeport | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A group of seven leading solar manufacturers filed trade complaints on Wednesday formally requesting that the Biden administration impose tariffs on solar products being exported from Southeast Asia into the United States. They come amid growing alarm within the U.S. solar industry that a flood of cheap Chinese green energy technology exports are pushing down prices of solar panels and threatening efforts by the Biden administration to develop a domestic solar supply chain. Chinese companies have been relocating production of solar products to neighboring countries to avoid existing tariffs, and U.S. manufacturers believe new trade measures are needed to protect their businesses. In the past year, the United States has imported $12.5 billion worth of solar products from those countries as prices of solar products have dropped by around 50 percent. The trade complaints are focused on imported solar cells, the parts of solar panels that turn light into electricity.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Department of Commerce, U.S . International Trade Commission Locations: Southeast Asia, United States, U.S, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia

☆ Carrier, the century-old inventor of the air conditioner, is moving on to the home heat pump
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Andrew Aitchison | In Pictures | Getty ImagesIn case you haven't noticed, heat pumps are hot. But there are other reasons why heat pumps are fast becoming popular with homeowners. All of this is transforming Carrier Global , the nearly 100-year-old manufacturer whose founder, Willis Carrier, invented air conditioning. Heat pumps have a history dating back to 1850s The thermodynamic science behind heat pumps was developed in the 1850s, when the first ones were invented, and they've been used in homes since the 1960s. Heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer.

Persons: CARR, Andrew Aitchison, Willis Carrier, David Gitlin, Carrier, Hakan Yilmaz, Yilmaz, they've, Michael Kretschmer, Sebastian Kowalski, Kretschmer, Tobie Stanger, Dave Lis, Viessmann, Milena Oliveira, Oliveira, Mark Prodan, Prodan, There's Organizations: Carrier Global, United Technologies, Solutions, East Trade Policy, Getty, International Energy Agency ., U.S . Climate Alliance, Consumer, Energy Efficiency, Carrier, M, Energy Star Locations: Gardens , Florida, Saxony, Leipzig, America, U.S, Maine, Michigan, Indian, Connecticut, New York State

☆ Green hydrogen tech boss warns of AI energy consumption risk
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Vicky Mckeever | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Vertigo3d | E+ | Getty ImagesThe chief technology officer of Ceres Power has warned that as artificial intelligence tools become more widely used for efficiency, there is a risk that this could result in even higher energy consumption. "What scares me is the energy consumption if you're using ChatGPT [for simple queries]," Caroline Hargrove said during an "IOT: Powering the Digital Economy" panel on the new energy landscape. Hargrove is CTO of Ceres Power, a developer of clean energy technology, including electrolysers for green hydrogen. An International Energy Agency report, published in January, highlighted that on average a typical Google search uses 0.3 watt-hours of electricity versus 2.9 watt-hours for a ChatGPT request. Hargrove said if this consumption was not managed properly "then the perverse effect could happen that we use so much more energy."

Persons: Ceres Power, Caroline Hargrove, Hargrove Organizations: Ceres, International Energy Agency

☆ Yellen Sees ‘More Work to Do’ as China Talks End With No Breakthrough
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Alan Rappeport | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Four days of top-level economic meetings between the United States and China concluded in Beijing on Monday with no major breakthrough, but the world’s two largest economies agreed to hold more discussions to address rising friction over trade, investment and national security. The conversation is poised to become even more difficult, however, as hopes of greater economic cooperation collide with a harsh political reality: It is an election year in the United States, and antipathy toward China is running high. At the same time, Chinese officials appeared unmoved by Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen’s urging that China scale back its recent surge of green energy technology exports, which could threaten American jobs. “There is much more work to do,” Ms. Yellen said at a news conference in Beijing on Monday. “And it remains unclear what this relationship will endure in the months and years ahead.”

Persons: Janet L, Ms, Yellen, ” Locations: United States, China, Beijing

☆ U.S. and China to hold talks on 'balanced growth' amid overcapacity concerns, Yellen says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (L) shakes hands with China's Vice Premier He Lifeng in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, on April 5, 2024. After two days of economic talks in China's southern export hub of Guangzhou, Yellen said she and He also agreed to start a forum to cooperate on anti-money laundering efforts in their respective financial systems. Beijing also expressed serious concerns about U.S. economic and trade restrictions on China and made a full response to the production capacity issue during the talks, the statement said. The U.S. Treasury official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the balanced growth forum was first proposed in February during an economic working group meeting. Yellen also said she had warned Chinese firms faced "significant consequences" if they provided material support to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Pedro Pardo, Lifeng, Yellen, Biden, Wendy Cutler Organizations: China's, Afp, Getty, Treasury, U.S . Treasury Locations: Guangzhou, overcapacity, China, U.S, United States, Xinhua, Beijing, Ukraine

☆ China is producing too much stuff. The West is worried.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is seeking to address over-manufacturing during her visit to China, which ends Tuesday. The problem is mainly in areas where China already had the upper hand over the West, like lower-tech goods and building materials after the recent property bust. AdvertisementBeijing is aware of overcapacity and pledged to address itBeijing knows the country has an overcapacity problem in some sectors, which is also bad for its own economy. After all, Chinese solar manufacturers are feeling the heat from solar panel overcapacity. Still, China is framing the West's concerns about overcapacity as protectionism and as moves to curtail the country's economic development.

Persons: —, Janet Yellen, Yellen, isn't, hasn't, overcapacity, Li Qiang Organizations: Service, Business, American, of, Reuters, US Treasury, European, Bloomberg, Longi Green Energy Technology Locations: China, Guangzhou, Europe, Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Beijing, Xinhua

☆ Yellen Faces Diplomatic Test in Urging China to Curb Green Energy Exports
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Alan Rappeport | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After three hours of meetings on Friday, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen and Vice Premier He Lifeng of China sat down for a working dinner at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, China. The evening activity was intended to give the pair, the top economic officials from the United States and China, an opportunity to go beyond talking points and build trust. The message represented a challenging test of economic diplomacy for Ms. Yellen. She wants China to dial back its industrial policy just as the United States is ramping up its own with trillions of dollars of subsidies for domestic clean energy industries. The new push against China’s exports threatens to inflame trade tensions between the world’s largest economies just as they have been working to stabilize relations.

Persons: Janet L, Yellen, Biden Organizations: Hotel Locations: China, Guangzhou, United States

☆ U.S. and China Continue to Talk, but Economic Divide Remains Wide
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Alan Rappeport | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States and China created formal economic working groups to keep the conversation going. Months later, Ms. Yellen met with her Chinese counterparts in San Francisco and Morocco. But despite those signs of progress, thorny economic issues continue to divide China and the United States. “We don’t want to decouple our economies,” Ms. Yellen said on Wednesday during a stop in Alaska on her way to China. “We want to continue, and we think we both benefit from trade and investment, but it needs to be on a level playing field.”

Persons: Janet L, Yellen, Biden, Ms Locations: Beijing, United States, China, San Francisco, Morocco, Yunnan, Guangzhou, Alaska

☆ Europe opens competition probes covering Chinese solar panel makers over subsidies
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —The European Union has launched investigations into two groups of companies that include Chinese solar panel makers in the latest salvo against what it suspects is unfair competition from China’s vast manufacturing sector. “There are sufficient indications that both (consortia) have been granted foreign subsidies that distort the internal (EU) market,” the European Commission said in a statement. The European Commission has said it may impose tariffs on Chinese biodiesel imports if dumping is confirmed. Like biodiesel, solar panels are an important part of Europe’s efforts to transition to an economy powered by clean technologies. Last month, Premier Li Qiang told the country’s parliament that China would focus on exporting more of its “new trio” of products, namely electric vehicles, solar panels and lithium batteries.

Persons: Thierry Breton, Jens Eskelund, Li Qiang Organizations: London CNN, European Union, European Commission, Green Energy Technology Co, Shanghai Electric Group Co, European, European Union Chamber of Commerce, EU Locations: Romania, EU, China, Europe

☆ Nuclear fusion experiment sets record for time at 100 million degrees Celsius
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Often referred to as the holy grail of climate solutions clean energy, fusion has the potential to provide limitless energy without planet-warming carbon pollution. KSTAR’s work “will be of great help to secure the predicted performance in ITER operation in time and to advance the commercialization of fusion energy,” Si-Woo Yoon said. This announcement adds to a number of other nuclear fusion breakthroughs. But commercializing nuclear fusion still remains a long way off as scientists work to solve fiendish engineering and scientific difficulties. Nuclear fusion “is not ready yet and therefore it can’t help us with the climate crisis now,” said Aneeqa Khan, research fellow in nuclear fusion at the University of Manchester in the UK.

Persons: Woo Yoon, ”, Aneeqa Khan, Angela Dewan Organizations: CNN — Scientists, KSTAR Research, Korean Institute of Fusion Energy, CNN, International, Reactor, Lawrence Livermore, Oxford, University of Manchester Locations: South Korea, France, United States

☆ These executives say psychedelics like LSD and MDMA made them better managers — and transformed how they think about fulfilling work
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Rachel Nuwer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Siskind is one of a growing number of entrepreneurs and executives seeking out psychedelics — including LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and MDMA — for work-related inspiration and guidance. AdvertisementA Manhattan psychedelic sound bathSarah Rose Siskind says one year after her psychedelic-induced revelation, work is going better than ever. When Siskind arrived at work on Monday, she called a staff meeting to share the company's new value-oriented direction. While Zillmer's breakthroughs came in Peru and with ayahuasca, these types of retreats for business professionals are popping up all over and with a variety of psychedelics. Beyond bottom linesThe location where Kiyumí Retreats will host a psychedelic retreat for business professionals later this year.

Persons: —, Sarah Rose Siskind, she'd, I'd, psychedelics, Steve Jobs, Mike Bryk, Siskind, David Luke, psychedelics Henrik Zillmer, Michael Costuros, Henrik Zillmer, Zillmer, It's, John Gilmore, Gilmore, Gül, Dölen, Isabel Wiessner, AirHelp, Kiyumí, Bennet Zelner, Zelner, they'd, John Allison, Allison Organizations: Service, Business, University of Greenwich, Sun Microsystems, University of California, Federal University of Rio, University of Maryland Locations: New York City, Silicon, Peru, Mexico, Noho, Manhattan, Bay, London, Berlin, Berkeley, Federal University of Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil, Netherlands, Brooklyn

☆ The Quiet Diplomat Who Shaped Biden’s Global Economic Policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jim Tankersley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the fall of 2022, two top Biden administration officials met in New York with a key European diplomat. Over dinner outdoors, they strategized about how best to throttle Russia’s oil revenues in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. Europe, Mr. Seibert said, had big problems with President Biden’s sweeping new climate law. They were worried the president was trying to ensure the future of U.S. manufacturing at the expense of some of America’s closest allies. The exchange set off months of behind-the-scenes talks, a major regulatory concession from the Treasury Department and high-level negotiations between Mr. Biden and fellow world leaders, all meant to soothe those concerns.

Persons: Bjoern Seibert, Mike Pyle, Wally Adeyemo, Seibert, Biden’s, Mr, Biden Organizations: Biden, National Security Council, European Commission, European Union, Treasury Department, Mr Locations: New York, European, Ukraine, United States, America

In Mo i Rana, a small Norwegian industrial town on the cusp of the Arctic Circle, a cavernous gray factory sits empty and unfinished in the snowy twilight — a monument to unfulfilled economic hope. The electric battery company Freyr was partway through constructing this hulking facility when the Biden administration’s sweeping climate bill passed in 2022. Perhaps the most significant climate legislation in history, the Inflation Reduction Act promised an estimated $369 billion in tax breaks and grants for clean energy technology over the next decade. Its incentives for battery production within the United States were so generous that they eventually helped prod Freyr to pause its Norway facility and focus on setting up shop in Georgia. Its pivot was symbolic of a larger global tug of war as countries vie for the firms and technologies that will shape the future of energy.

Persons: Mo i Rana Organizations: Biden Locations: Mo, Norwegian, United States, Norway, Georgia

☆ China's chances of staging an economic rebound this year look slim
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

China faces severe real estate woes, deflation, and an exodus of global investors. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementThe world has yet to witness any post-pandemic rebound in China, and Wall Street expects little to change in 2024. The ongoing exodus of global investors is evidence the bear case is intact, and the country's real estate sector continues to look more and more precarious. AdvertisementThat in turn has cratered sentiment, as Chinese households have the majority of their wealth tied to real estate.

Persons: —, DataTrek, Nicholas Colas, Jessica Rabe, Mike Edwards, Weiss, haven't, Edwards, Tracy Chen, Chen, Caesar Maasry, Goldman Sachs, Maasry Organizations: Service, Wall, Tech, Baidu, US, Business, Brandywine, Supply, Seng China Enterprises, Bloomberg Locations: China, Beijing

☆ Want to work in climate? Look to Georgia and the Carolinas
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

That figure reflects planned projects in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Brian Kemp of Georgia, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and Henry McMaster of South Carolina. Albemarle, which mines lithium, a key component of EV batteries, plans to build processing plants in South Carolina and open new mining operations in North Carolina. In Georgia, companies have announced at least 26 projects that they estimate could create 14,881 manufacturing jobs. Companies in South Carolina project nearly 11,500 jobs, while more than 8,200 jobs are estimated in North Carolina.

Persons: Bob Keefe, Keefe, who's, Brian Kemp of, Roy Cooper of, Henry McMaster of, Kemp, There's Organizations: Companies, Service, Henry McMaster of South, BMW, Hyundai, South, SK, EV, Mining Locations: Georgia, South Carolina, Business, Carolinas, Georgia , South Carolina, North Carolina , Tennessee, Kentucky, China, Asia, Dalton , Georgia, Atlanta, Savannah, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Spartanburg, Rivian, Georgia . Albemarle, North Carolina

But that came after they had sold petroleum in eight of the previous nine weeks, reducing their position by a total of 342 million barrels. In the premier NYMEX WTI contract, funds had amassed bearish short positions amounting to 116 million barrels by Nov. 28, up from 20 million barrels eight weeks earlier. Funds purchased the equivalent of 10 million barrels split between U.S. gasoline (+2 million), U.S. diesel (+4 million) and European gas oil (+4 million). Funds held a net long position in gasoline of 66 million barrels (72nd percentile) up from 26 million barrels (19th percentile) six weeks earlier. Related columns:- Record U.S. oil output challenges Saudi mastery (December 4, 2023)- Investors bet against OPEC+ raising oil prices (November 28, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: de Wouw, John Kemp, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Port, REUTERS, ICE, Fund, U.S, . Funds, U.S ., Funds, Saudi, OPEC, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Rotterdam, Netherlands, Brent, Saudi Arabia, United States, U.S

REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil production set a record for the second month running in September, highlighting the challenge to Saudi Arabia and its OPEC⁺ partners as they cut their own production to boost prices. Lower 48 production climbed to a record of 10.8 million b/d, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 10.5 million b/d set in December 2019. Drilling activity usually turns down around 4-5 months after prices and production turns down 10-12 months after prices fall. Production growth has slowed consistently since the middle of 2022 in response to the sharp fall in prices. Related columns:- U.S. oil output hits record as producers boost drilling efficiency (November 1, 2023)- U.S. oil producers reprieved by Saudi output cut (October 3, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: Mike Segar, OPEC’s, John Kemp, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Bayway, REUTERS, OPEC, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Cooperation, Energy Information Administration, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Phillips, Linden , New Jersey, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, OPEC, United Kingdom, Russia, Soviet, Vienna, Brazil, Guyana, El, Saudi

Chartbook: India electricity generationTotal electricity demand met increased by 24 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) (+21%) in October compared with the same month a year earlier. Wind increased by 0.3 billion kWh (+10%) while solar was up 1.3 billion kWh (+16%). Instead the electricity system turned to gas (1.6 billion kWh, +103%) and especially coal (28 billion kWh, +33%) to meet demand. Coal-fired generators produced a seasonal record of 111 billion kWh in October 2023 up from 84 billion kWh in October 2022. Over the same period, coal generation capacity has increased by just 9 million kilowatts (1% per year) and gas-fired capacity has been essentially unchanged.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, John Kemp, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, UN, Central Water Commission, Thomson, Reuters Locations: New Delhi, India, Dubai, Himalayas, Tibet, baseload

But 18-24 months later, the acute phase of the adjustment is complete, with energy inventories comfortable and prices reverting towards long-term inflation-adjusted averages. Chartbook: Europe's energy supplies and pricesThere will undoubtedly be more shocks in future, but the disruption associated with the end of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is over. Europe’s residual issue is that it has swapped relatively cheap Russian pipeline gas for relatively expensive LNG, putting its industrial competitiveness at risk, but that is a chronic problem rather than a crisis. OILIn the oil market, U.S. domestic crude and condensates production has continued to increase and surpassed its pre-pandemic peak in August 2023. Related columns:- China braces for record winter electricity demand (November 24, 2023)- Europe’s gas crisis is over, but not the painful adjustment (November 21, 2023)- Oil prices slump as fundamentals reassert themselves (November 9, 2023)- Europe's record gas stocks start to pressure prices (November 7, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: John Kemp, Jan Harvey Organizations: U.S, Brent, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Europe, Asia, Ukraine, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Northwest Europe, China, Russia, South, East Asia, Brazil

REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Investors are increasingly pessimistic about the outlook for crude oil prices as doubts grow OPEC+ will cut production enough to offset rising non-OPEC output and a deteriorating economic outlook. But many professional money managers are more optimistic about refined fuel prices, especially U.S. gasoline and diesel, expecting low inventories will ensure prices remain stronger than crude. By contrast, the position in fuels was 114 million barrels (51st percentile), with substantial positions in U.S. gasoline (64 million barrels) and U.S. diesel (33 million barrels). The surplus had swelled from +60 bcf (+2% or +0.23 standard deviations) at the start of October despite very low prices. Related columns:- U.S. crude oil bears risk reversal from crowded trade (November 20, 2023)- U.S. gasoline stocks add to crude oil turbulence (November 17, 2023)- U.S. oil prices slide as stocks accumulate at Cushing (November 16, 2023)- Oil traders turn bearish, daring OPEC⁺ to cut again (November 14, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: Leonhard Foeger, Brent, Henry, John Kemp, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, ICE, U.S ., Funds, Henry Hub, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Vienna, Austria, OPEC, NYMEX, Saudi Arabia, Louisiana, Cushing

☆ Ray Dalio hails the Gulf's 'renaissance states' amid a period of 'greater disorder' globally
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Ray Dalio speaks during the 2023 Forbes Iconoclast Summit at Pier 60 on June 12, 2023 in New York City. We're now talking about a renaissance state here that happens within this greater geopolitical and economic environment," Dalio told CNBC's Dan Murphy on Tuesday. The UAE "is a renaissance state," Dalio said. Amid higher oil prices in recent years, the region's mammoth sovereign wealth funds had ever more to spend. The region's combined 10 largest sovereign wealth funds managed some $4 trillion in early 2023, according to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute.

Persons: Ray Dalio, ABU, Dalio, CNBC's Dan Murphy, Dalio's Organizations: Forbes, Getty, United, United Arab Emirates, Bridgewater Associates, United Arab, CNBC, Abu, Abu Dhabi Finance, GCC, Gulf Cooperation, Dalio's Bridgewater Associates, Pensions & Investments, The, Dubai International Financial, Sovereign Wealth Fund, —, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund Locations: New York City, Taylor, ABU DHABI, United Arab, Gulf, United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, U.S, Singapore, The UAE, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, London, New York, France

☆ China's industrial profits extend gains as outlook improves
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Siyi Liu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Profits at China's industrial firms extended gains for a third month in October, adding to signs of a stabilising economy following a run of mostly upbeat data suggesting Beijing's support measures have helped bolster a tentative comeback. For the first 10 months of 2023, profits slid 7.8% from a year earlier, narrowing from a 9% decline in the first nine months, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Monday. "However, the volatility of profits is a sign enterprises remain highly sensitive to input costs," he added. "The sharp slowdown of year-on-year profit growth was partly driven by a rebound in energy prices." Industrial profits data covers firms with annual revenues of at least 20 million yuan ($2.74 million) from their main operations.

Persons: Siyi Liu, Xu Tianchen, Joe Cash, Liz Lee, Qiaoyi Li, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, National Bureau of Statistics, Economist Intelligence Unit, Green Energy Technology Co, Thomson Locations: Dezhou, Shandong province, China, Rights BEIJING

☆ Rare earth discoveries mean coal mines could have a key role to play in the energy transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Boy_anupong | Moment | Getty ImagesFrom Pennsylvania to the north of England, coal mines helped to power the Industrial Revolution, turbocharging the economic growth of countries around the world. SubscribeIn May, U.S. firm Ramaco Resources offered some insight into how coal may have a role to play in the years ahead. "It is expected they can be mined using normal surface mining techniques and processed in a more economic and environmental manner than conventional REE mines." Elsewhere, researchers at Penn State have also been focusing on ways to source rare earths and critical minerals via waste from coal mines. Across the Atlantic, efforts to repurpose old coal mines so that they can be used for many more years to come have also been taking shape.

Persons: Ramaco, REEs, CNBC's Kelly Evans, Randall Atkins Organizations: Greenpeace, UN, International Energy Agency, CNBC, Ramaco Resources, Weir International, U.S . Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory, China, West Virginia University, U.S . Department of Energy, Penn State, Geothermal Engineering Limited Locations: Pennsylvania, England, U.S, REE, Wyoming, United States, China, Scotland

Peak electricity demand may increase by as much as 140 million kilowatts (12%) compared with winter 2022/23, the National Energy Administration (NEA) forecast on Oct. 31. Planners have been anxious to avoid a repeat of the fuel and power shortages that occurred in the autumn and winter of 2021/22. Chartbook: China electricity generationIn the first ten months of 2023, domestic coal production increased by 144 million tonnes (11%) and imports by 154 million tonnes (67%) compared with the prior year. The NEA said power generators’ inventories should be maintained at 200 million tonnes, up from 170 million tonnes a year ago. In the same period, domestic gas production increased by 8 million tonnes (6%), while liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports rose by 6 million tonnes (12%) and pipeline imports increased by 2 million tonnes (5%).

Persons: Tingshu Wang, John Kemp, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, National Energy Administration, Planners, NEA, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Yanqing district, Beijing, China, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Chartbook, Guangdong, Hainan

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