Record global coal use: how’s the energy transition?
Tom KirkmanIndependent Project Manager
Global coal consumption is at an all time high.
Currently, we are at the highest coal consumption in the history of the world.
How’s that Western “Energy Transition” working out?
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“Here are the facts: The world is using more coal now than it ever has.
Coal, oil and natural gas still meet about 82% of our primary energy demands, way down from the … 86% they supplied in 1997.
The world is using more coal (about 50% more), more oil (about 20% more), and more natural gas (about 60% more) than it used in 1997.
● Global coal consumption hit an all-time high in 2023.
Demand for coal increased by about 1.4%, driven mainly by China, which accounts for more than half of global coal use.
● The world’s principal coal users — China, India, South Africa and Indonesia — continue to expand their coal infrastructure, mostly because it is their most affordable and reliable option.
At the same time, the United States reduced its coal consumption by about 20% in 2023, shifting to more expensive (when all costs are considered) and weather-dependent sources of energy.
While China is keeping its energy costs low with coal, the Biden administration is driving us toward greater reliance on intermittent energy.
… At the same time as it is investing in its own coal reserves, … China is making big money selling us the materials necessary to build alternative energy infrastructure.
The regime in Beijing owns, controls or processes 80% of global production of minerals and raw materials needed to produce alternative energy.
Geoffrey Pyatt, assistant secretary for energy resources at the State Department, recently pointed out that China has “essentially a monopoly” on solar energy manufacturing, which enables it to reap enormous profits from American consumers.
… In short, our transition away from traditional sources of energy — including coal — means more cash for China and more dependence on China for the United States.
The regime in Beijing generates energy security for itself with coal while profiting from our emphasis on an energy transition that has yet to emerge. …”