Coal

China is the world’s largest coal consumer, burning more than half of all the coal used globally. India, the United States, Russia, Japan, and South Africa are the next largest consumers, together accounting for one-quarter of global coal use. In the United States, coal plant closures are accelerating, with coal generation capacity expected to fall 45% by the end of the decade from its 2020 level. Booming wind and solar construction are a driving factor, and are cutting into coal use in other areas, particularly Europe. Metallurgical coal, a much smaller market than thermal coal, is still used extensively for steelmaking. IEEFA closely monitors this evolving energy landscape, assessing trends and risks and reporting on related technologies, including carbon-capture and sequestration.