Coal's Final Flicker: Is This The Last Ember of a Fading Flame?

Coal consumption hit an all-time record of 8.77 billion tonnes in 2024 as worldwide production finally hit 9 billion tonnes. But the future for the sector remains bleak. China, with its 55% share of coal power production, still has its grip firmly in place on the market. But analysts say there will be a dramatic decline in coal usage by 2030 as China leads the turn towards renewables. The International Energy Agency projects coal demand to level off at 8.87 billion tonnes by 2027. Though some are not convinced that China can wean itself off coal in the short term, the world trend is towards a slow phasing out of coal for cleaner sources.
Source: Mine Magazine, March 2025 Issue