Released July 03, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
en
Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Asian-Pacific countries--led by China and India--were far and away the world's largest consumers of coal in 2024, according to the annual "Statistical Review of World Energy" prepared by the Energy Institute (EI) (London, England) and consultants Kearney (Chicago, Illinois) and KPMG (London). Coal use by Asian-Pacific nations has more than doubled over the last four decades while demand has declined sharply in the U.S., Europe and the rest of the world.
Click on the image at right to see consumption of coal over the last four decades by world region.
The report, released June 26, said coal was the second-largest source of primary energy in 2024, accounting for about 28% of energy use. Coal was relied on for about 165 exajoules (EJ) of primary energy out of global demand of about 592 EJ, it added. Coal trailed oil, but led natural gas, in terms of the world's primary energy use. Overall, the world relied on hydrocarbons such as oil, coal and natural gas for about 86% of primary energy in 2024, the report noted.
Click on the image at right to see a graphic on the sources of the world's primary energy in 2024.
Global coal demand continued to grow in 2024, rising by 1%, the 76-page report noted. While many world regions, including the Commonwealth of Independent States (mainly Russia and other Russian-speaking countries), North America, Europe, and South and Central America all saw declines in demand, these reductions were not nearly enough to offset overall global growth, as demand continued to rise in China and India. Those two countries accounted for about 115 EJ of demand last year--roughly 70% of global coal use.
Turning to production, the EI report noted that in 2024, global coal production reached a new record high of 182 EJ, surpassing the previous peak set in 2023, though the pace of growth slowed compared to the past three years. Production continued growing in the Asia-Pacific region: China, India and Indonesia were the world's largest producers of the black rock last year. Australia was number five, trailing the U.S.
In the U.S., coal production fell to about 465 million short tons in 2024, the lowest level in 44 years. Production also fell in Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and South and Central America.
Click on the image at right to see a graphic on the world's largest coal producing nations in 2024.
The world's largest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2) from energy remain China, the U.S. and India. China is the world's largest consumer of coal as well as the world's largest renewable energy market.
On its website, the Energy Institute said its purpose is to "accelerate a just global energy transition to net zero." Consistent with that, at a June 26 press conference to release the statistical report, several speakers fretted about increased hydrocarbon use and the world's ability to meet the goals of the Congress of the Parties 28 (COP28), where nearly 200 nations pledged to hold average long-term temperature gain to 1.5° Celsius above Industrial Revolution levels. Coal is the world's most carbon-intense fuel, and the world's increased use of coal is leading to increased releases of CO2.
The report noted that "in a year when average air temperatures consistently breached the 1.5°C warming threshold, global CO₂-equivalent emissions from energy rose 1%, marking yet another record, the fourth in as many years."
Click on the image at right to see a chart of the world's largest emitters of CO2 from energy.
In a statement accompanying the release of the report, Romain Debarre, partner and managing director for Kearney's Energy Transition Institute, said, "Last year was another turning point for global energy, driven by rising geopolitical tensions. Energy security, resource access, and technological sovereignty are now taking priority over climate goals."
But he cautioned that inaction on global warming carries a high cost: "Record-high GHG emissions and soaring temperatures in 2024 are a deafening wake-up call. We have the strategies, technologies and know-how to deliver the energy transition with an integrated, secure and people-centered approach. Now, we must move from promises to action, at scale and at speed."
Regarding the energy transition, Energy Institute Chief Executive Officer Nick Wayth said, "We're seeing a highly disorderly transition characterized by energy addition, not substitution" of non- or low-emitting sources of energy for carbon-rich ones. "China is in the driver's seat," he continued: it is the world's largest renewables market, but 60% of its electricity comes from coal. "The scale and direction of China's energy choices will be pivotal in determining whether the world can deliver a secure, affordable and low-carbon energy future," he said, adding: "There are no easy answers" to the challenges of decarbonization, "but emissions from energy continue to move in the wrong direction."
For roughly seven decades, this annual statistical atlas had been produced by BP Plc (London). But EI took it over in 2023. This year's report was the 74th edition. To learn what the report said about global oil markets, see July 1, 2025, article - New Report Finds Oil Demand Hit a New Record in 2024.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The report, released June 26, said coal was the second-largest source of primary energy in 2024, accounting for about 28% of energy use. Coal was relied on for about 165 exajoules (EJ) of primary energy out of global demand of about 592 EJ, it added. Coal trailed oil, but led natural gas, in terms of the world's primary energy use. Overall, the world relied on hydrocarbons such as oil, coal and natural gas for about 86% of primary energy in 2024, the report noted.
Global coal demand continued to grow in 2024, rising by 1%, the 76-page report noted. While many world regions, including the Commonwealth of Independent States (mainly Russia and other Russian-speaking countries), North America, Europe, and South and Central America all saw declines in demand, these reductions were not nearly enough to offset overall global growth, as demand continued to rise in China and India. Those two countries accounted for about 115 EJ of demand last year--roughly 70% of global coal use.
Turning to production, the EI report noted that in 2024, global coal production reached a new record high of 182 EJ, surpassing the previous peak set in 2023, though the pace of growth slowed compared to the past three years. Production continued growing in the Asia-Pacific region: China, India and Indonesia were the world's largest producers of the black rock last year. Australia was number five, trailing the U.S.
In the U.S., coal production fell to about 465 million short tons in 2024, the lowest level in 44 years. Production also fell in Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and South and Central America.
The world's largest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2) from energy remain China, the U.S. and India. China is the world's largest consumer of coal as well as the world's largest renewable energy market.
On its website, the Energy Institute said its purpose is to "accelerate a just global energy transition to net zero." Consistent with that, at a June 26 press conference to release the statistical report, several speakers fretted about increased hydrocarbon use and the world's ability to meet the goals of the Congress of the Parties 28 (COP28), where nearly 200 nations pledged to hold average long-term temperature gain to 1.5° Celsius above Industrial Revolution levels. Coal is the world's most carbon-intense fuel, and the world's increased use of coal is leading to increased releases of CO2.
The report noted that "in a year when average air temperatures consistently breached the 1.5°C warming threshold, global CO₂-equivalent emissions from energy rose 1%, marking yet another record, the fourth in as many years."
In a statement accompanying the release of the report, Romain Debarre, partner and managing director for Kearney's Energy Transition Institute, said, "Last year was another turning point for global energy, driven by rising geopolitical tensions. Energy security, resource access, and technological sovereignty are now taking priority over climate goals."
But he cautioned that inaction on global warming carries a high cost: "Record-high GHG emissions and soaring temperatures in 2024 are a deafening wake-up call. We have the strategies, technologies and know-how to deliver the energy transition with an integrated, secure and people-centered approach. Now, we must move from promises to action, at scale and at speed."
Regarding the energy transition, Energy Institute Chief Executive Officer Nick Wayth said, "We're seeing a highly disorderly transition characterized by energy addition, not substitution" of non- or low-emitting sources of energy for carbon-rich ones. "China is in the driver's seat," he continued: it is the world's largest renewables market, but 60% of its electricity comes from coal. "The scale and direction of China's energy choices will be pivotal in determining whether the world can deliver a secure, affordable and low-carbon energy future," he said, adding: "There are no easy answers" to the challenges of decarbonization, "but emissions from energy continue to move in the wrong direction."
For roughly seven decades, this annual statistical atlas had been produced by BP Plc (London). But EI took it over in 2023. This year's report was the 74th edition. To learn what the report said about global oil markets, see July 1, 2025, article - New Report Finds Oil Demand Hit a New Record in 2024.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
