Arya News - Global coal demand is expected to reach a new record high this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast on Wednesday, despite diverging regional trends in consumption. In its annual coal market report, the IEA said global coal use is projected to rise by 0.
Global coal demand is expected to reach a new record high this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast on Wednesday, despite diverging regional trends in consumption.
In its annual coal market report, the IEA said global coal use is projected to rise by 0.5% to 8.85 billion tons this year.
In the United States, where demand has declined in recent years, consumption is set to increase by around 8% this year. The IEA attributed this to higher natural gas prices and a slowdown in the retirement of coal-fired power plants under the administration of President Donald Trump.
In the European Union, coal demand in 2025 fell by significantly less than in the previous two years, as lower output from wind and hydropower in the first half of the year led to greater reliance on coal-fired generation.
India, which typically contributes to growth in global demand, is expected to have generated less energy from coal this year. The IEA said an early and intense monsoon season reduced electricity demand while boosting hydropower output.
Looking ahead, the Paris-based IEA said its forecast shows global coal use plateauing in the coming years and then starting to tick lower by 2030.
Demand in China is expected to ease slightly by 2030 as renewable energy capacity expands rapidly. By contrast, the agency said India is likely to see the largest increase in coal consumption over the coming years.