China remains world's largest energy producer

BEIJING - China remained the world's largest energy producer for a fifth year in 2012, China's energy authority said Wednesday.

The National Energy Administration (NEA) said in a statement on its website that the country's total installed power generation capacity reached 1.14 billion kilowatts (kw) by the end of 2012.

Installed hydropower capacity stood at 249 million kw, the world's greatest. The country's wind power also led the world with an installed capacity of 63 million kw by the end of last year, the statement said.

Crude oil reserves and production steadily increased, while natural gas production saw rapid development last year, according to the statement.

China has been the world's largest energy producer since 2008, official data show.