Global Coal Use at Record High in 2013

This story reports a disappointing statistic.  Coal use globally continues to soar, reaching a record high last year (again).

The source is BP's June 2014 Statistical Review of Global Energy, downloadable here.

70% of global coal consumption is in the Asia/Pacific -- 50% in China and the remaining 20% spread around -- India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia etc.  And all the growth is in the Asia-Pacific region. So as goes China CO2 so goes the globe.

On the other hand, renewables are booming.  Global wind power generation grew 21% in 2013, and solar grew 33%, from a smaller base.  Renewables in 2013 provided 5.3% of global power generation needs -- starting to make a real difference not just in places like Denmark, but globally.   Here is a chart from the BP report showing renewables growth -- though I highly recommend you click on the link above and download the entire report:

The report has a lot of useful information.  Want to see where Japan gets its LNG, and what percent of global LNG imports go to Japan, South Korea, China, or elsewhere?  Just see P 31 of 48 -- major trade movements in natural gas.

Gas prices in 2013?  Japan LNG CIF price -- $16.17.  German imports and UK prices -- around $10.70.  US Henry Hub -- $3.71.  P 29 of 48.

And there is a great index for conversion among equivalents, a definition section, and links to other resources.

(BP kindly notes that publishers are welcome to quote from the review provided that they attribute the source to BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2014. However, where extensive reproduction of tables and/or charts is planned, permission must first be obtained first from the editor.  Let us hope that ONE chart is not "extensive".)