Current Status and Issues of Coal Sector in the World

Abstract

The world produced over 7.8 billion tonnes of coal in 2012. The world relies on coal for about 30% of the primary energy consumption and is consumed by 41% of electric power as fuel. Although the production and consumption are concentrating on China, the U.S., and India, especially China consumes about 48% of the total amount of coal produced in the world. On the other hand, in China, investment was supplied to coal industry and oversupply has occurred. In recent years, the structure of coal supply-demand, such as competition with alternative energy, rise of concern about global environment problems and the U.S. shale-gas revolution, rise of resource nationalism, a jump in oil price, a shortage of skill, and a nuclear problem, is changed dramatically.