According to the IEA, China consumed the equivalent of 2.252 billion tonnes of oil in 2009, 0.4 percent more than the 2.17 billion tonnes used in the United States.
But an employee of China’s National Energy Administration said the IEA did not understand the country’s efforts to cut energy uses and expand energy facilities.
In November, the Chinese government announced the country would reduce carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40 to 45 percent compared 2005 levels.
The government also vowed to cut energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent between 2006 and 2010.
Last week’s IEA report claimed China’s rise to the top was aided by the fact that it was much less affected by the global financial crisis.
The report said that prospects for future wind power growth in China remained "incredibly strong" due to the country’s low per-capita consumption and the fact it is the most populous nation on the planet.
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