Coal Consumption Hits Record High Despite Power Generation Dip

The decoupling of coal consumption from electricity generation provides the most striking insight into the 2025 energy data. While total consumption hit a new peak, global electricity production from coal fell 0.3% to 10,511 terawatt-hours. This divergence points to the persistent role of coal in heavy industry—specifically steelmaking and cement production—where alternatives remain less accessible than in the power sector.

The Geographic Divide

The market has become increasingly localized, with the Asia-Pacific region now accounting for 83.2% of global coal demand. China and India alone represent nearly 70% of total consumption. In contrast, OECD nations continue a long-term retreat, with European coal usage falling further to represent just 4.4% of the global total. The United States served as a notable outlier in 2025, recording a 10.4% spike in consumption, yet this surge remains a minor deviation from a multi-decade structural decline that has left U.S. coal use 62% below its 2005 peak.

Global coal trade failed to mirror the record consumption levels, dropping 3.1% to 35.3 exajoules. As major producers like China focused on domestic output, international export volumes from nations like Indonesia and Colombia faced significant pressure. The data confirms that coal is neither vanishing nor dominating; instead, it is retreating in developed economies while remaining a fundamental pillar of economic development across much of Asia.