This should be much bigger news. Electricity consumption is typically a good proxy for real GDP/capita (it undercounts services, but otherwise tracks)... But China's GDP numbers already undercount service.
The country ramped up coal-fired generation, but also added more renewable capacity than the rest of the world combined, according to the annual Statistical Review Of World Energy from the Energy Institute (EI). This means the carbon intensity of its energy is actually falling.
Chinese consumption is being driven by the expansion of data centres, 5G infrastructure and car charging, while many factories are also running at full tilt to meet demand for goods overseas.
“We should not ignore the energy and emissions that Europeans have effectively exported to Chinese manufacturers,” EI chief executive officer Nick Wayth said.