China -largest consumer of energy, China pursues sustainable enrgy?

Print Article - IBTIMES.com: International Business News, Financial News, Market News, Politics, Forex, Commodities - International Business Times: "China has become the largest energy consumer in the world, using 4 percent more than the United States, according preliminary results of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The IEA reported that in 2009, China consumed 2.252 billion tons of oil equivalent energy, mainly through oil and coal. The United States consumed 2.169 billion tons. Of course, on a per capita basis, China only consumes a third of the OECD average and a fifth of the U.S. figure. In addition, China has disputed IEA's data and assertion that they are now the world's largest energy consumer.

Although no one expected China to remain second place forever, they surpassed the U.S. sooner than most had expected. Indeed, the IEA pointed out that China's energy usage has double since 2000. The IEA said that one reason China surpassed the U.S. in 2009 was because they weathered the global recession better than the U.S."