China's state-controlled energy firms are expecting domestic gas demand growth to accelerate this year, as the economy recovers and consumption of the fuel is boosted by the country's transition to lower-carbon energy sources. China's apparent gas demand is likely to reach 350bn-356bn m³ this year, up by around 9-10pc from 2020, Hou Chuangye, vice president of top producer PetroChina's gas sales unit said this week. Hou sees higher demand from the gas-fired power sector as a back-up for base-load renewables output, which will lead to an increase in installed gas-fired capacity as China works towards meeting its peak ... (full story)