February 21, 2024

After declining to 7600 MTPA due to impacts from the Covid pandemic, global coal production has steadily increased over the past 2 years peaking at over 8300 MTPA in 2022. Steam coal and lignite accounted for about 86% of total production.

China and India, the world’s largest coal consumers which together account for almost 70% of global coal consumption in the same time the main producers  jointly producing 62% of global production. China is the world’s largest coal and lignite producer accounting for just over half of total global production in 2022. They are followed by India at 11% and Indonesia at 8%. Indonesia has experienced the greatest growth rates since 2010, almost doubling production from 325 MTPA to 620 MTPA in 2022, followed by India (up 60%) and Russia (up 35%). The US, Australia, and Russia each account for about 5% of the total with the rest of the world making up the remainder. US coal production has declined from almost 1000 MTPA in 2010 to about 550 mtpa in 2022, as low-cost natural gas has pushed out coal. Excluding China, the rest of the world has seen a 15% drop.

References:
IEA. 2022. Global coal demand is set to rise in 2022 amid the upheaval of the energy crisis
IEA. 2024. Coal
Global Energy Monitor. April 2023
Celebi, M. Lam, L. Grove, J. Northrup, N. April 27, 2023. A Review of Coal-Fired Electricity Generation in the U.S
Enerdata. 2023. Coal and lignite production
Oreanda-news. May, 30, 2023. Global coal consumption in 2030 and 2050 will be higher than forecast
Eurostat. June, 22, 2023. Coal production and consumption up in 2022