Canary Media: "Chart: Coal-fired electricity may have peaked in 2023." Global coal burning is plateauing, + last year may well have finally peaked, in spite of population growth to our current 8 billion. The main reason is more and more solar and wind are surging onto grids around the world. "Total share of fossil fuel [electricity] generation is forecast to fall below 60 percent this year, and renewables’ share is expected to reach over 30 percent of global electricity generation." North America + Europe 'have reduced coal capacity by more than 200 gigawatts since 1990, mostly due to the switch from coal to gas in the U.S. and strict emissions policies in Europe.' "But Asia has yet to reach peak coal, having added more than 40 GW of coal capacity every year since 2018—a trend Rystad expects to continue through 2027." As you might surmise—India, China + Indonesia are the main drivers of Asian coal consumption. Burning coal releases particulate pollution + often heavy metals such as mercury + arsenic. A burden on global health, particularly children. Peak coal, like economic recessions, will be recognized + confirmed only in retrospect.
