The world will not be able to launch its charcoal grip any time soon.

“Nothing can destroy coal,” US President Donald Trump He said in the last World Economic Forum. “Not the weather, not a bomb.”

US exports of coal It has increased steadily to meet the growing global demand for the most fossil fuel in the world, despite its low local consumption.

Moreover, the ability of coal in the world reached a new record of about 2175 GB in 2024, Data from Global Energy Monitor on February 6. Coal capacity is the total power product that can be created from coal power plants.

“The global transformation is still far from coal, a challenge, largely driven by increasing demand in Asia, even with Europe and the United States, significant declines in coal.

It is also expected that the global coal demand has violated another new record of 8.77 billion tons in 2024, and will remain at similar levels until 2027, International Energy Agency Fell.

China recently mentioned this Coal imports increased by 14.4 % to a record increase in 2024It reaches 542.7 million metric tons, compared to 474.42 million tons in the previous year.

The second largest economy in the world is also the largest coal consumer in the world, representing more than 56 % of global demand in 2023, I showed the latest numbers from IEA.

MEI said that the high coal storage in China is largely directed towards preparing the country for a possible lack of energy caused by harsh weather events.

Electrical energy, wind and solar energy It consists of approximately 30 % of the electricity mixture in China In 2023, Ember Eber Eber Ener Energy data showed. MEI added that the electrical energy output decreases due to the lack of sufficient rains, often the Chinese government depends on coal power to ensure energy security.

“In addition, there is no other major barrier that is the availability of renewable energy infrastructure, but the difficulty of transporting solar energy and wind energy through the provinces,” she said, adding that coal will remain the “backbone of critical energy” in China until the network integration and the administration was fully developed in All parts of the country.

In India, the intense heat caused by the climate led to a high energy demand on cooling, and clean energy sources have not been built quickly to meet the increasing demand for energy, Mei said.

India’s focus on the development of the economic structure and infrastructure also strengthened the consumption of cement and steel, which are the industries that are largely dependent on coal, according to the analysts that CNBC spoke to.

South Asia’s demand for steel is scheduled to grow by 8-9 % in 2025, which exceeds other economies, due to capture in intense steel construction in the infrastructure and residential sectors, Consulting company showed CRISIL.

Last December, India extended its direction For imported energy plants from imported coal to operate at full capacity until February 28.

But this does not mean that India was neglecting its renewable goals. The country set an ambitious goal Meeting 50 % of its electricity needs Through renewable energy by 2030. progress has been made. And until last October, Renewable energy sources represent more than 46.3 % It is the power of power generation in the country, according to the New Energy and Renewal Ministry of India.

Global Energy Monitor indicated that other Upper countries that build new coal factories are Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Vietnam Taiwan is expected to go beyond the world The fifth largest importer of coalAfter the arrival of charcoal imports in the country He registered high in more than a decade last year.

Indonesia Coal Data from the country’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources showed that about 831 million tons were able to obtain a new level last year.

Ember Energy outperformed that the charcoal share in the electricity mixture in the Philippines exceeded China in 2023, and became the most country in Southeast Asia, according to Ember Energy.

“There is no little focus on energy use efficiently, when coal is very cheap,” said Dave Jones, Ember Energy Electrical Analyst.

The strong demand for coal in Asia in all fields is also a result of the rise in gas prices since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, given that a number of main thermal coal importers such as China, India and Vietnam have expanded plans for gas -based energy after high gas prices Follow that.

Global electricity consumption is expected to continue in 2025, IEA said.

“The world needs more energy, and needs it now,” said Rob Thomel, chief manager of Tortoise Capital. “In order for the global economy to grow, it needs effective, costly and reliable sources to save energy,” CNBC told CNBC.

Artificial intelligence also accelerated the world’s need for energy. Reports have shown that the energy needs driven by databases around the world will also prolong the demand for coal.

“The United States, China and the world are in a race for the superiority of artificial intelligence,” said Tim Winter, Gabelli Funds. He explained that artificial intelligence data centers are huge energy users, which makes it difficult to retire a reliable and affordable energy source such as coal.

By 2030, the demand for electricity from data centers may exceed 35 GW, or more than twice 17 gigawatts registered in 2022, A report issued by Moody Categories showed.

With the global demand for electricity rising faster, other industrial observers began to resonate IEA expectations for the remaining coal demand at the highest levels ever.

“There can be no transfer when the demand for oil, natural gas, coal, continues to obtain record levels,” said Eric Numal, chief wallet manager at NinePoint Partners.

Governments agreed to 2015 Paris Climate Agreement To reduce global heating to much lower than 2 ° C and follow -up efforts to reduce the temperature rise to 1.5 ° C. To prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5 ° C, it is estimated The emissions should be reduced by 45 % by 2030 and reach zero by 2050.

Others are less pessimistic, although they realized the challenge of reaching these goals in time.

A continuous pledge towards renewable energy sources, as well as looming on the horizon An increase in the supply of global liquefied natural gas Robe, who indicated that coal imports continue to weaken them in some markets recovered from coal.

In addition, if countries are committed to their promises from the three renewable energy sources by 2030, coal may start seeing a meaningful decrease in this contract, said Ember Energy.