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New sources to ease Beijing energy shortage LNG is transported in specially designed ships at a temperature of -163 C as it expands more than 600 times in volume under normal atmospheric conditions, becoming a gas. "LNG is an ideal gas supply source in case of emergency," said Liu. Recalling the gas crisis of the past winter, Liu said pipelines have a fixed maximum capacity. "But LNG is more flexible. A ship of LNG from overseas can reach the port at most in one week after we make an order." Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan said early this year the city must diversify energy supplies to ensure long-term economic security. "It is very worrying that much of the city depends on gas and there is only one pipeline," the mayor said in January, during the chronic shortage. Beijing's demand for natural gas is growing by an annual rate of 17 per cent and will reach 5.8 billion cubic metres in 2008 as the city switches from reliance on coal in its drive to cut air pollution before the Olympics. Demand for gas is forecast to top 7 billion cubic metres in 2010 and 12 billion in 2020. Natural gas is regarded as a green energy as it does not produce sulphur dioxide, and its emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide are respectively just 50 per cent and 20 per cent of those issued by burning coal. The city has gradually been trading in coal-burning boilers for gas-fuelled heaters since the late 1990s. By the end of last year Beijing had more than 5,100 gas-fired boilers, covering 60 per cent of the total heating area, according to statistics from the Beijing Gas (Group) Co Ltd. The capital will put 3,000 more natural gas-fuelled buses on the roads by 2008 in order to clean up the public transport system. The city currently has more than 2,000 green buses.
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