A persistent heatwave is hobbling China’s ability to keep its factories operating as virus curbs disrupt the supply of coal and inventories of the fuel run low. The government’s pledge to prevent a repeat of the power outages that crippled industry last year is being sorely tested by the summer heat. As the world’s biggest producer and consumer of coal, China is proving to be both a victim and a contributor to a climate emergency that has brought an extended bout of scorching weather across the globe. The nation’s electricity generation hit a record high last week as demand for air-conditioning quickly depletes its stockpiles of coal, which at some coastal power plants have fallen to an alarming level of just 10 days’ usage, according to a note from consultant Fenwei Energy Information Service Co. After heavy rains brought a brief respite, another week or so of […]