The Worldwide Power Company (IEA) in a brand new report stated international use of coal, together with for energy era, is predicted to achieve a document 8.77 billion tonnes this yr. The group stated China’s continued use of coal in its energy vegetation, together with the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on international gasoline markets, means coal use probably will stay at near-record ranges no less than by way of 2027.
The company’s Coal 2024 report, the newest version of the IEA’s annual publication about international coal markets, reveals that international coal use has rebounded after falling on the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Demand is predicted to stay near present ranges by way of the following three years whilst extra renewable power is added to energy grids worldwide.
“The fast deployment of fresh power applied sciences is reshaping the worldwide electrical energy sector, which accounts for two-thirds of the world’s coal use,” stated Keisuke Sadamori, IEA’s Director of Power Markets. “In consequence, our fashions present international demand for coal plateauing by way of 2027 whilst electrical energy consumption rises sharply. Nevertheless, climate components—significantly in China, the world’s largest coal shopper—could have a significant affect on short-term developments for coal demand. The pace at which electrical energy demand grows will even be essential over the medium time period.”
The IEA stated the usage of coal for energy era already has handed its peak within the U.S. and the European Union. It additionally famous the latest closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar, the final remaining coal-fired energy plant within the UK.
POWER not too long ago reported that stockpiles of coal at U.S. energy vegetation stay excessive, with as a lot as $6.5 billion price of the gasoline sitting unburned at these websites.
Rising Demand in China
Coal demand in China is predicted to point out a 1% enhance this yr, to 4.9 billion tonnes, which the IEA stated can be a document stage. India’s use of coal this yr is predicted to point out a 5% leap, to 1.3 billion tonnes, a stage beforehand reached solely by China. U.S. power companies haven’t launched up to date 2024 figures on coal consumption for energy era, however information reveals coal consumption inside the U.S. electrical energy sector was simply 387.17 million quick tons in 2023.
U.S. consumption of coal topped 1 billion quick tons throughout the 2005-2008 interval. That was previous to the introduction of hydraulic fracturing to the nation’s oil and pure gasoline trade, which since 2008 has helped make the U.S. the nation’s main producer of these fuels. Pure gasoline more and more is getting used for U.S. energy era, producing greater than 40% of the nation’s electrical energy right now.
Coal-fired era accounts for about 16% of present U.S. electrical energy manufacturing, down from greater than 50% about 25 years in the past.
Demand for coal continues to extend in some rising economies. Will increase in inhabitants and demand for electrical energy in nations reminiscent of India, Indonesia, and Vietnam is driving extra coal-fired energy era, together with industrial use of the gasoline for heating and in manufacturing services.
The IEA in its report stated the usage of coal globally probably will drop close to the top of the last decade because of the continued progress of renewable power, whilst demand for electrical energy continues to rise.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
