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Dec. 19 (UPI) — Despite efforts to move away from polluting fossil fuels, the International Energy Agency warned that coal continues to be the largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions as usage remains abundant.
“Coal demand is stubborn and will likely reach an all-time high this year, pushing up global emissions,” Keisuke Sadamori, the IEA’s director of energy markets and security, said.
The IEA estimates global coal consumption will finish the year 1.2% higher than last year. This year’s consumption of more than 8 billion tons of coal represents the highest level since 2013.
Global consumption patterns have changed this year in response to conflict in Europe. Russia has long been accused of using its influence in the energy sector for geopolitical gain and its invasion of Ukraine in February only amplified the concerns given the dense network of Soviet-era pipelines crisscrossing the former Soviet Republic.
The European move to diversify its reserves, and the subsequent shunning of Russian goods, has forced some economies to turn away from high-priced natural gas to cheaper coal.
In China, the world’s largest coal consumer, the IEA found that a heat wave and drought led to an increase in coal-fired power generation during the summer, offsetting any demand destruction from Beijing’s tough stance on COVID-19.
That, the IEA said Friday, should be something of a trend for the emerging Asian economies and keep coal usage at current levels through 2025, leaving coal with the distinction of being the largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions.
“The world is close to a peak in fossil fuel use, with coal set to be the first to decline, but we are not there yet,” Sadamori said. “Government policies will be key to ensuring a secure and sustainable path forward.”
Most major economies are progressing along the energy transition pathway by embracing cleaner alternatives such as heat pumps. But the energy crisis brought on by the war in Ukraine is an impediment given the lack of commercial-scale options, though renewable energy use continues to grow.
The IEA said the pace of expansion for renewable sources of energy over the next five years is expected to be 85% faster than the previous five-year period and nearly 30% higher than the agency expected in a similar forecast from last year. And within just two years, by 2025, the agency expects renewables will be the largest single source of electricity generation, surpassing coal.
