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According to a new MarketResearch.com report coal accounts for over 40% of total global electrical generation – more than 1,700TWh in 2010 – and the installed generating capacity in 2010 was around 1,500GW out of a world total of 4,500GW.
Global coal consumption advanced 7.6% last year and at a faster pace than crude oil, natural gas and nuclear, according to statistics published by oil giant BP.
Japan is the most important coal importer, consuming 165 mtonnes of imports in 2009. China is now the second largest importer with 137 mtonnes in 2009, followed by South Korea with 103 mtonnes, India with 67 mtonnes, Taiwan with 60 mtonnes, Germany with 38 mtonnes and the UK with 38 mtonnes.
MartketResearch.com says many of the world’s largest economies, such as the United States and China, base their success on the availability of coal power. However coal is also an extremely dirty fuel and its combustion is one of the main sources of carbon dioxide, responsible for global warming. The future of coal burning for power generation depends on adapting to new environmental restrictions.
Total global proven reserves at the end of 2010 were 860,938 mtonnes. Total coal production in 2009 was an estimated 6,903 mtonnes of which 5,990 mtonnes were hard coal and 913 mtonnes were lignite. This compares with production in 2008 of 6,759 mtonnes. Total hard coal production in 1990 was 3,497 mtonnes.
MINING.com reported earlier according to the US Energy Information Administration, coal production will fall 1.7% in 2011 hampered by widespread flooding in the west of the country. It is a steeper decline than previously forecast and the agency also predicts a further decline next year.
Nevertheless, strong demand from Asia and Europe for steam and metallurgical coal has pushed US coal exports up 35% in the first half of the year and should reach above 100 million tons by year’s end, the highest level in nearly 20 years.
Global coal consumption advanced 7.6% last year and at a faster pace than crude oil, natural gas and nuclear, according to statistics published by oil giant BP. Coal now accounts for 30% of global energy use, the highest since 1970.
3 Comments
Mica Davhana
coal is going to be employed as a primary energy generator for the forseeable future. it wil be up to the mining companies, the government and civil society to ensure that cleaner burning technolgies are employed to mitigate about the effects of GHG emissions, global wraming and the devastating effects of climate change.
its praticable and it can be done for the future of next generations
micado
Alber
discrepancy twixt percentages of first and last paragraphs a whole 10%. 40% and then 30% – coal cited as % of global energy use… ???
MINING.com Editors
Energy use as per BP’s numbers would include among others burning fuel in vehicles, therefore coal makes up a smaller percentage of that total. The 40% in the MarketResearch study refers only to the generation of electricity.