December 17, 2025, 07:44December 17, 2025, 07:44
According to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA), global coal demand is likely to reach a record high again this year. The experts assume that consumption will increase by 0.5 percent to 8.85 billion tons of coal, as they write in their annual coal report published today.
A coal miner in a tunnel underground. Image: keystone
Local consumption this year did not always correspond to previous trends. While coal consumption in the United States has declined in recent years, demand is expected to increase by eight percent this year. According to the IEA, the reason for this is higher prices for natural gas and a slower shutdown of coal-fired power plants supported by the government.
In the European Union, coal demand fell significantly less than in the last two years because wind and hydropower provided less energy in the first half of the year and so coal was used. And India, which normally helps boost global coal demand, may have produced less energy from coal this year. Because of the early and heavy monsoon season, demand for electricity was lower and hydroelectric power plants produced more.
According to the IEA, an outlook for the development of coal demand up to 2030 is associated with numerous uncertainties, especially in China, which consumes more coal than the rest of the world combined. Demand in the People’s Republic is likely to fall slightly by 2030 due to the rapid expansion of renewables. In India, however, the experts from the Paris-based organization expect the greatest increase in coal consumption. (sda/awp/dpa)
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