That support hit a roadblock a year ago when new conservative prime minister Tony Abbott ordered a review of the country's target for clean
energy use by 2020, which ultimately recommended slashing it by a third, in line with
falling overall energy demand.
Against an
overall increase in Chinese
energy use of 2.2 per cent, coal was the only major
energy source to see
falling demand during 2014, with a 2.9 per cent drop.