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Page added on May 16, 2014
China Produces and Consumes Almost as much Coal as the Rest of the World Combined
Chinese production and consumption of coal increased for the 13th consecutive year in 2012. China is by far the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal, accounting for 46% of global coal production and 49% of global coal consumption—almost as much as the rest of the world combined. As a manufacturing country that has large electric power requirements, China’s coal consumption fuels its economic growth. China’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 7.7% in 2012, following an average GDP growth rate of 10% per year from 2000 to 2011.
The top 10 coal-producing countries supplied 90% of the world’s coal in 2012. China produced nearly four times as much coal as the second largest producer, the United States, which had a 12% share of global production. China has accounted for 69% of the 3.2 billion ton increase in global coal production over the past 10 years.
The top 10 coal-consuming countries consumed 85% of the world’s coal in 2012. Eight of the 10 largest producers are among the top 10 consumers. China is the largest coal consumer, accounting for 49% of the world’s total coal. The next largest, the United States, consumed 11% of the world’s total. China’s coal consumption increased by more than 2.3 billion tons over the past 10 years, accounting for 83% of the global increase in coal consumption.
Coal accounts for most of China’s energy consumption, and coal has maintained an approximate 70% share of Chinese consumption (on a Btu basis) since at least 1980, the starting date for EIA’s global coal data. By way of comparison, coal was 18% of U.S. energy use and 28% of global energy use in 2012.
11 Comments on "China Produces and Consumes Almost as much Coal as the Rest of the World Combined"
Davy, Hermann, MO on Fri, 16th May 2014 6:23 am
China development is the straw that will break the camel’s back and will destroy the world as we know it. The US and Europe initiated this destruction. Lifting the Chinese masses to middle class levels is our global end. No ethical or moral judgment here. It is completely fair for China to make this choice. Everyone else is doing it. In any case China is definitely at limits of growth in the context of this energy consumption of coal. Their infrastructure cannot grow this segment. Financially a significant portion of the immense Chinese “funny money” is associated with the coal mining sector. The worst of the dangerous pollution is cause by coal. The economy will stall for many reasons most likely it is the financial crisis in China which is by the far the worst of all large economies. It is coal that is the brick wall to China’s growth and prosperity if the Chinese financial system swims out of its mess. Let us hope for a soft landing for China. Our global system is intricately entwines with China’s. I personally have selfish interests for 3 more years of BAU. I can assure you we will see a very low growth rate from China soon. We will see a deterioration of the social fabric in China. We will see worsening pollution from less resources to mitigate all the many and varies environment destructions. This zero or negative growth many lower coal consumption but not by much at least initially. The population is dependent on it with little alternatives. AltE and NUK in China went through a renaissance but these segments will falter and wither. They take a healthy financial system and growth to be sustained. China will fly apart like a high performance engine losing its engine oil. No, I am not excited about this because the rest of the globe will follow. Bau is finished it is just a question of when. Stock your life boat boys the deluge is coming.
TIKIMAN on Fri, 16th May 2014 6:24 am
But lets let the President keep shutting down coal power plants in the US. Why on earth would ANYONE want cheap reliable energy?!
What a stupid idea….
Kenz300 on Fri, 16th May 2014 7:20 am
If there is to be any hope of dealing with Climate Change all countries need to stop building any more coal fired power plants and begin to shut down the oldest and dirtiest ones.
Even China has begun to address the pollution problems caused by fossil fuels.
They have an aggressive program to increase the use of alternative energy sources like wind and solar. They are also subsidizing the purchase of electric vehicles.
Solar Industry Uniquely Poised to Help Fight Climate Change
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2014/05/solar-industry-uniquely-poised-to-help-fight-climate-change
rockman on Fri, 16th May 2014 8:58 am
T – And at the same time the US has increased coal exports by 1000% since 2007 according to the EIA: http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
And much of the increase has come from federal lands. And while there’s local resistance to expanding west coast coal export terminals the increase in capacity of the Texas terminals are pushing ahead thanks to a speeded up process by the gov’t.
bobinget on Fri, 16th May 2014 9:10 am
Coal Kills.
All the talk about the ‘possibility’ of nuclear fall-out pales in comparison to the reality of ongoing environmental spoli already perpetrated by coal.
Plantagenet on Fri, 16th May 2014 10:33 am
Rockman is right, as usual. The US is in no position to criticize China when our own coal exports have risen to record levels under the obama administration.
dsnthefuture on Fri, 16th May 2014 12:26 pm
continuing use of coal would be a disaster.
rockman on Fri, 16th May 2014 4:08 pm
Ds – Not really. At least not for the folks calling the shots today: they’ll all will have died of old age before it gets really bad.
And that’s the real problem, ain’t it.
Makati1 on Fri, 16th May 2014 8:51 pm
Rockman, you hit on the real reason the ‘elite’ don’t give a damn what they do. Look at the Forbes 400 list and see that most are over 60 and many over 80. Dead before the SHTF, they hope. They don’t give a damn about their kids or grand kids world, only the next billion. It’s a power game to them. Nothing more.
GregT on Sat, 17th May 2014 2:06 am
Plant,
Good god man. When are you ever going to get it? Obama is not responsible for everything, and neither is ‘the’ administration. Honestly, you have some good contributions from time to time, but get over your idiotic fixation on Obama. It’s beyond stupid already. Give your head a shake, and wake the F up.
Davy, Hermann, MO on Sat, 17th May 2014 6:05 am
Plant is obsessive as a pit bull with a bone. Obama bashing is passe’. We all know he is a 1%er sell-out and hypocrite so lets move on…planter