As the United States continues to shut down coal producers in the hope of reducing carbon emissions, overall coal demand reached an all-time high in 2024. This is the culmination of the last three decades, during which time coal consumption has doubled despite repeated efforts to limit usage. With a total demand of 8.77 billion tonnes, coal is far from a 20th-century fuel source.
One of the biggest questions regarding coal is when China will reach its peak coal consumption. As the largest producer and consumer, China has used coal to expand their economy rapidly. However, as the world hopes to reach carbon reduction goals, China must change its coal consumption. Of the 8.77 billion tonnes of coal in demand, China accounts for 4.9 billion. With one country representing more than half of the world’s coal consumption, the steady decreases in the United States and Europe cannot offset overall coal dependence.
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