China’s demand for natural gas is set for another winter boom, but this time around the world’s biggest energy user will be better prepared to deal with risks of shortages, according to Wood Mackenzie Ltd. Less aggressive coal-to-gas switching, improved gas storage and a boost in imports will probably help China avoid a repeat of the heating crisis seen in the past winter, analyst Wen Wang said by phone from Beijing. Last year, infrastructure problems and fuel shortages idled factories and cut off heat to homes in the dead of winter. The frantic effort to ensure gas supply underscores the balancing act China’s leaders are attempting to pull off as they enact policies to boost gas use in order to reduce coal smog from urban skies. While Beijing has enjoyed some of the cleanest air in the past decade since such measures ramped up last summer, the country has […]