EIA: rising Asian demand drives global coal consumption growth; demand almost doubled since 1980

21 December 2011

Global coal demand has almost doubled since 1980, driven by increases in Asia, where demand is up over 400% from 1980-2010, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). In turn, China dominates Asian demand; demand in China increased almost five-fold between 1980-2010 and accounted for 73% of Asia’s consumption and almost half of coal consumption globally in 2010.

 World coal consumption by region, 1980-2010. Source: EIA. Click to animate.

The share of coal consumption has shifted from Europe and the Former Soviet Union to Asia. For example, Europe and the Former Soviet Union were the only two regions with declining coal consumption between 1980 and 2010, falling 32% and 42% respectively.

Divergent coal use trends mean that Asia’s share of global coal use rose from 24% to 63% during this period. Asia’s growing coal demand has fueled large increases in global coal production.