Coal: China and India vs. “groundbreaking changes” in the EU

Coal remains the primary source of electricity worldwide, owing to its affordability and reliability in securing power production. Developing economies like China and India rely heavily on coal, with China generating over 5,000 TWh of electricity from it in 2022, representing more than half of the world’s coal-based energy production.

In India, electricity consumption is increasing at an unprecedented rate, and though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to replace polluting fuels with solar and wind farms, his administration is struggling to keep up with demand. As a result, inefficient coal-fired power plants continue to operate in India, and officials have chosen to increase coal production and abandon plans to phase out old power plants.

In 2023, wind and solar energy accounted for a record 27% of electricity generated in the European Union, while coal hit its lowest level in history, generating only 12% of the EU’s electricity. Gas also saw a steep decline, indicating that the European Union’s energy sector is undergoing a “disruptive change,” according to Sarah Brown of the Ember think tank.