Fossil fuels remain the greatest source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2023, coal accounted for roughly **** percent of the global power mix, while natural gas followed with a ** percent share. China, India, and the United States accounted for the largest share of coal used for electricity generation. The future of renewable energy Fossil fuel use notwithstanding, the share of renewables in global electricity has seen a more pronounced year-on-year growth in recent years, following increased efforts by governments to combat global warming and a decrease in levelized costs. Projections indicate that renewables will surpass fossil fuels as the main power source by 2040. Electricity consumption in the world China is the largest electricity consumer in the world, requiring more than ***** terawatt-hours of electricity every year. However, this economic power accounts for the largest population in the world and its electricity consumption per capita is almost tenfold smaller than the consumption of Iceland, although the power used in this country came almost completely from clean sources.

Global electricity generation has increased significantly over the past three decades, rising from less than 12,000 terawatt-hours in 1990 to over 30,000 terawatt-hours in 2024. During this period, electricity generation worldwide only registered an annual decline twice: in 2009, following the global financial crisis, and in 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. Sources of electricity generation The share of global electricity generated from clean energy sources –including renewables and nuclear power- amounted to almost 40 percent in 2024, up from approximately 32 percent at the beginning of the decade. Despite this growth, fossil fuels are still the main source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, almost 60 percent of the electricity was produced by coal and natural gas-fired plants. Regional differences Water, wind, and sun contribute to making Latin America and the Caribbean the region with the largest share of renewable electricity generated in the world. By comparison, several European countries rely on nuclear energy. However, the main electricity sources in the United States and China, the leading economic powers of the world, are respectively natural gas and coal.

Mongolia MN: Electricity Production From Coal Sources: % of Total data was reported at 92.336 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 92.948 % for 2013. Mongolia MN: Electricity Production From Coal Sources: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 95.489 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2014, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.172 % in 2002 and a record low of 90.960 % in 1985. Mongolia MN: Electricity Production From Coal Sources: % of Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mongolia – Table MN.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Sources of electricity refer to the inputs used to generate electricity. Coal refers to all coal and brown coal, both primary (including hard coal and lignite-brown coal) and derived fuels (including patent fuel, coke oven coke, gas coke, coke oven gas, and blast furnace gas). Peat is also included in this category.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Electricity production shares may not sum to 100 percent because other sources of generated electricity (such as geothermal, solar, and wind) are not shown. Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

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Global coal-fired power generation market overview

The availability of coal at low prices is one of the key factors expected to drive the coal-fired power generation market in the upcoming years. Coal is one of the most economical raw material for generating electricity in both advanced and emerging economies. For instance, 30% of the electricity production in the US was carried out using coal during 2017. Similarly, the new pricing policy from Coal India introduced in January 2018 aims at selling coal depending on the total energy content within each consignment. As a result, lowering prices of coal are likely to boost the coal-fired power generation market.

Furthermore, the development of clean coal technologies will gain traction in the market owing to the growing environmental concerns among consumers. Several innovative approaches including integrated gasification of fuel cells, direct coal fuel cells and supercritical carbon dioxide are being explored to reduce the environmental impact. These technologies will help to reduce carbon emissions and fuel costs. This fact encourages the coal-fired power generation plants to increase their focus on adopting clean coal technologies. Consequently, the availability of coal at low prices coupled with the development of clean coal technologies will drive the market to grow at a CAGR of over 1% during the forecast period.

Top coal-fired power generation companies covered in this market research report

The coal-fired power generation market is moderately fragmented with companies focusing on clean coal technologies. By providing a complete analysis of the market’s competitive landscape and with information on the products offered by the companies, this coal-fired power generation industry analysis report will allow the clients to assess the market potential and design innovative strategies for strengthening their position in the market.

The report offers a complete analysis of several vendors including:

China Huadian
CHINA SHENHUA
NTPC
Southern Company
Uniper

Coal-fired power generation market segmentation based on geographic regions

APAC
EMEA
Americas

APAC will account for the largest share of coal-fired power generation market during the forecast period because of the significant use of coal for power generation and the development of new, efficient coal-fired power plants.

Coal-fired power generation market segmentation based on technology

Subcritical
CHP
Supercritical
Ultra-supercritical

The subcritical segment will account for the highest growth in the global coal-fired power generation market during the forecast period. This report provides an accurate prediction of the contribution of all the segments to the growth of the coal-fired power generation market size.

Key highlights of the global coal-fired power generation market for the forecast years 2019-2023:

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023
Detailed information on factors that will accelerate the growth of the coal-fired power generation market during the next five years
Precise estimation of the global coal-fired power generation market size and its contribution to the parent market
Accurate predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior
The growth of the coal-fired power generation industry across the Americas, APAC and EMEA
A thorough analysis of the market’s competitive landscape and detailed information on several vendors
Comprehensive details on factors that will challenge the growth of coal-fired power generation companies

We can help! Our analysts can customize this market research report to meet your requirements. Get in touch

Firstly Holtfrerich presents the Rostov Concept of the leading sector, before he sketches the development of mining in the Ruhr area by means of theoretical approaches concerning theories on production, price, and investment. In doing so, the author attempts to quantify the connections between the development of coal mining in the Ruhr district and other important sectors by means of an input-output scheme. Thereafter he examines how far the development of mining in the Ruhr area in the 19th century in its major phase of growth complies with the Rostov criteria for the leading sector. Finally Holtfrerich verifies the assumption that mining in the Ruhr district has been a leading sector of the German industrialisation.

Chart register Chart 01: Coal mining in the OBAB Dortmund, the Saar area, and the Kingdom of Prussia (1816-1913) Chart 02: Annual average price of coal in the OBAB Dortmund, nominal and real development (1816-1813) Chart 03: Number of operating coal mines in the OBAB Dortmund, and average production of each mine (1816-1892) Chart 04: Proportion of the five and ten greatest mines as to the total coal production of the mines in the OBAB Dortmund; in percent (1852-1890) Chart 05: Contributions of coal mines in the OBAB Dortmund in 1,000 marks (1850-1895) Chart 06: Tax burden for coal mining in the Lower Rhine region and in Westphalia (1880-1903) Chart 07: Burden of the coal mines in the OBAB Dortmund; coal mine contributions (“Bergwerksabgaben”) and taxes in percent of coal sales value (1816-1913) Chart 08: Annually licenced basic capital of the “Montan-Aktiengesellschaften” (coal, iron and steel corporations) founded in the Ruhr (1840-1870) Chart 10: Average number of workers per year (including mine officials) in the field of coal mining in the OBAB Dortmund (1816-1913) Chart 11: Average annual net payroll and annual net basic wages of the miners in the OBAB Dortmund (1850-1913) Chart 12: Wages in coal mining within the OBAB Dortmund (1850-1903) Chart 13: Working hours in coal mining within the OBAB Dortmund (1852-1892) Chart 14: Labour productivity in coal mining in the OBAB Dortmund (1816-1913) Chart 15: Development of capital investment: disposable steam machines (combined engine power in HP) of coal mines within the OBAB Dortmund (1851-1892) Chart 16: Development of investment: annual increase of steam machine power (in HP) (1852-1892) Chart 18: Development of capital productivity and capital intensity (1851-1892) Chart 19: Data on net value added and capital income in the field of coal mining in the OBAB Dortmund (1850-1903) Chart 20: Capital income/dividends and profits per produced ton of coal for coal mining in the Ruhr area (1850-1892) Chart 21: Proportion of the total coal produced in the Lower Rhine/Westphalian bassin, which was coked by the colliery itself, or – from 1882 on – formed into briquettes(1861-1892) Chart 22: Percentage of propulsion power in HP applied in coal mining within the OBAB Dortmund (1875-1895) Chart 23: Own consumption of coal of mines within the OBAB Dortmund (1852-1892) Chart 24: Development of the profit indicator for coal mining in the Ruhr district (1851-1892) Chart 25: Expansion of the German railway system (1835-1892) Chart 26: Figures on the development of Prussian railways (1844-1882) Chart 27: Development of average revenues for the transport of coal on various railways (1861-1877) Chart 28: Development of the proportion of means of transport with regard to the transport of coal from the Ruhr area (1851-1889) Chart 29: Division of domestic sales of the “Rheinisch-Westfälisches Kohlensyndikat” (Coal Syndicate of the Rhineland and Westphalia) per consumption groups in percent (1902-1906) Chart 30: Wroughtiron production and steel production from coal in the OBAB Dortmund and in the OBAB Bonn (part on the right bank of the Rhine) (1852-1882) Chart 31: Crude iron production in the Ruhr area, OBAB Dortmund (1837-1900) Chart 32: Price development for crude iron, bar iron and cast steel in the Ruhr district (1850-1892) Chart 33: Bar iron production in the OBAB Dortmund and in the OBAB Bonn by means of the charcoal hearth process and the “Puddelverfahren”, a method to produce steel from crude iron (1835-1870) Chart 34: The importance of the economic sectors according to their respective employment figures (1852-1875).

The electricity generation capacity in the United States reached *** terawatts in 2023, a rise of ** percent compared to the value recorded in 2000. Power capacity in the U.S. is forecast to continue growing in the next decades, doubling between 2022 and 2050. Electricity sources in the U.S. In 2023, fossil fuels were still the main source of electricity generation in the country. Natural gas surpassed coal as the single leading power source in 2016 and accounted for over ** percent of the electricity produced in the U.S. in 2023. However, renewable electricity generation has been growing, primarily driven by wind energy and hydropower. Capacity additions and retirements in the U.S. As of 2024, solar and wind power accounted for about ** percent of planned capacity additions in the North American country. By comparison, fossil fuels had the most planned capacity retirements in the U.S.. Natural gas was the only fossil fuel with planned capacity additions that year, amounting to *** gigawatts.

Retail residential electricity prices in the United States have mostly risen over the last decades. In 2023, prices registered a year-over-year growth of 6.3 percent, the highest growth registered since the beginning of the century. Residential prices are projected to continue to grow by two percent in 2024. Drivers of electricity price growth The price of electricity is partially dependent on the various energy sources used for generation, such as coal, gas, oil, renewable energy, or nuclear. In the U.S., electricity prices are highly connected to natural gas prices. As the commodity is exposed to international markets that pay a higher rate, U.S. prices are also expected to rise, as it has been witnessed during the energy crisis in 2022. Electricity demand is also expected to increase, especially in regions that will likely require more heating or cooling as climate change impacts progress, driving up electricity prices. Which states pay the most for electricity? Electricity prices can vary greatly depending on both state and region. Hawaii has the highest electricity prices in the U.S., at roughly 43 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2023, due to the high costs of crude oil used to fuel the state’s electricity. In comparison, Idaho has one of the lowest retail rates. Much of the state’s energy is generated from hydroelectricity, which requires virtually no fuel. In addition, construction costs can be spread out over decades.

Iceland is by far the largest per capita consumer of electricity worldwide, averaging 51.9 megawatt-hours per person in 2024. This results from a combination of factors, such as low-cost electricity production, increased heating demand, and the presence of energy-intensive industries in the country. Norway, Qatar, and Canada were also some of the world's largest electricity consumers per capita that year. China is the leading overall power consumer Power-intensive industries, the purchasing power of the average citizen, household size, and general power efficiency standards all contribute to the amount of electricity that is consumed per person every year. However, in terms of total electricity consumption, a country's size and population can also play an important role. In 2024, the three most populous countries in the world, namely China, the United States, and India, were also the three largest electricity consumers. Global electricity consumption on the rise In 2023, net electricity consumption worldwide amounted to over 27,000 terawatt-hours, an increase of 30 percent in comparison to a decade earlier. When compared to 1980, global electricity consumption more than tripled. On the generation side, the world is still strongly dependent on fossil fuels. Despite the world's renewable energy capacity quintupling in the last decade, coal and gas combined still accounted for almost 60 percent of global electricity generation in 2023.

In 2023, the share of electricity generated by nuclear power in Japan amounted to around 5.6 percent. Shortly after the nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011, the share of nuclear energy generation dropped down to zero, since all nuclear reactors were shut down for security inspections. Main energy sources in Japan The nuclear disaster in 2011 had a major impact on the electricity market in Japan insofar that nuclear energy was replaced by fossil fuels. The largest share of electricity production came from natural gas and coal. Since the archipelago lacks domestic reserves of fossil fuels, it is dependent on imports. This resulted in increased electricity rates for homes shortly after the disaster. To be more independent of fossil fuel imports as well as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and electricity power costs, Japan currently aims to replace fossil fuels with nuclear and renewable energy. In recent years, the share of renewables in electricity production increased to close to 20 percent, with solar and hydropower representing the largest renewable energy sources. Nuclear energy in Japan Shortly after the nuclear disaster, the share of Japanese people who supported nuclear energy dropped significantly. Nevertheless, the first nuclear reactors were put back into operation in 2015. The low carbon energy source will be necessary for Japan to meet its climate goals of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 46 percent until 2030, compared to the level of 2013. Furthermore, the Japanese government announced its intention for the country to become entirely emission-free by 2050. There was international criticism that Japan is unlikely to expand its renewable energy share sufficiently to achieve that goal. Therefore, the country would need to further increase its nuclear energy share.

This table shows the supply, transformation and the consumption of energy in a balance sheet. Energy is released – among other things – during the combustion of example natural gas, petroleum, hard coal and biofuels. Energy can also be obtained from electricity or heat, or extracted from natural resources, e.g. wind or solar energy. In energy statistics all these sources of energy are known as energy commodities.

The supply side of the balance sheet includes indigenous production of energy, net imports and exports and net stock changes. This is mentioned primary energy supply, because this is the amount of energy available for transformation or consumption in the country.

For energy transformation, the table gives figures on the transformation input (amount of energy used to make other energy commodities), the transformation output (amount of energy made from other energy commodities) and net energy transformation. The latter is the amount of energy lost during the transformation of energy commodities.

The energy balance sheet shows the final consumption of energy. This is the energy consumers utilise for energy purposes. The last form of energy use is non-energy use. This is the use of an energy commodity for a product that is not energy.

Data available: From 1946 (annual) and from 1995 up to and including 2016 (annual and quarterly).

Status of the figures: All figures up to 2014 are definite. Figures of 2015 and 2016 are revised provisional.

Changes as of 22 December 2017: None, this table has been stopped. For more information see section 3.

Changes as of 30 June 2017: Revised provisional figures of 2016 have been added.

As of the reporting year 2016, there are two trend breaks in the Energy Balance Sheet. These are related to improved convergence with international conventions. 1. Shifting of the electricity supply to the sector electricity and gas supply. Up to and including 2015, the electricity supplied to the sector electricity and gas supply was included as electricity and CHP transformation input for production of electricity. As of 2016, this electricity supply is included in energy sector own use. This amounted to approximately 2 PJ for 2016. 2. Shifting of input of blast furnace gas and coke oven gas to coke oven plants. Coke-oven plants use blast furnace gas and coke oven gas to produce process heat. Up to and including 2015, these were included in other transformation inputs. As of 2016, these are included in coke-oven plants own use. This amounted to approximately 8 PJ in coal gas for 2016.

Changes as of 12 October 2016: Figures of 1990-1994 have been revised.

The data of the energy balance sheet for the period 1990 up to and including 1994 have been revised. This revision is a follow up of the revision of last year for the reporting years 1995 up to and including 2013. The most important reasons for the revision were a break in the time series for the non-energy use, the possibility to use data of the client files of the grid operators for determination of the final consumption of natural gas and electricity and the availability of new information on the use fuels for transport and mobile machines. Furthermore own use of energy companies is now reported separately and not included any more in final consumption. Finally, a couple of minor modifications have been applied, for example correction for discovered errors and adjustments due to availability of new information.

When will new figures be published? Not applicable.

China consumes by far the most electricity of any country in the world, with almost 9,000 terawatt-hours equivalent consumed in 2024. The United States ranked as the second-leading electricity consumer that year, with over 4,000 terawatt-hours consumed. India followed, but by a wide margin. Production and consumption disparities China not only leads countries in electricity generation worldwide, it also dominates production, generating over 10 petawatt-hours annually. The United States follows with 4.6 petawatt-hours, significantly more than its consumption of 4,065 terawatt-hours. This disparity underscores the complex relationship between production and consumption, influenced by factors such as energy efficiency, export capabilities, and domestic demand. The global expansion of electricity networks, particularly in Central and Southern Asia, is driving increased production to meet growing access and demand. Shifting energy landscapes The United States, as the second-largest consumer, is experiencing a significant shift in its energy mix. Coal-based electricity has declined by nearly 65 percent since 2010, giving way to natural gas and renewable sources. This transition is evident in recent capacity additions, with renewable energy sources accounting for over 90 percent of new electricity capacity in 2024. The surge in renewable generation, particularly wind power, is reshaping the U.S. energy landscape and influencing consumption patterns. As renewable energy consumption is projected to more than double by 2050, the electricity market is adapting to these changing dynamics.

This table shows the supply of electricity. Consumption of electricity is calculated from the supply variables. The supply of electricity primarily includes production plus imports minus exports. The majority of the electricity produced is supplied to the public electricity grid by, for example, power stations and wind turbines. A smaller part is generated by companies themselves for the benefit of their own business processes. For example, many greenhouse companies generate their own electricity for the lighting of their greenhouses.

The net production is determined as gross production minus the own consumption of electricity. Own consumption is the amount of electricity that a producer or installation consumes during electricity production. The net production is broken down in this table into the following energy sources from which the electricity is produced: nuclear energy, coal, petroleum products, natural gas, biomass, other fuels (non-renewable), hydro power, wind energy, solar photovoltaic and other sources.

Imports and exports are further broken down by country of origin or destination.

The total net consumption of electricity in the Netherlands is calculated as the net production plus imports minus exports and distribution losses.

Data available: Annual figures are available from 1929 onwards. Monthly figures on total electricity production, import and export are available from 1976. Full data per month is available from 2015.

Status of the figures: - All figures up to and including reporting year 2022 are definite. - Figures for 2023 and 2024 are revised provisional. - Figures for 2025 are provisional.

Changes as of June 30th 2025: Figures added for April 2025.

Changes as of June 16th 2025: Figures added for 2024 have been updated.

Changes as of May 23rd 2025: Figures added for March 2025.

When will new figures be published? Provisional figures: the second month after the end of the reporting period. Revised provisional figures: June of the year following the reporting year. Definite figures: not later than November of the second following year.

In 2024, the price of natural gas in Europe reached 11 constant U.S. dollars per million British thermal units, compared with 2.2 U.S. dollars in the U.S. This was a notable decrease compared to the previous year, which had seen a steep increase in prices due to an energy supply shortage exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war. Since 1980, natural gas prices have typically been higher in Europe than in the United States and are expected to remain so for the coming two years. This is due to the U.S. being a significantly larger natural gas producer than Europe. What is natural gas and why is it gaining ground in the energy market? Natural gas is commonly burned in power plants with combustion turbines that generate electricity or used as a heating fuel. Given the fact that the world’s energy demand continues to grow, natural gas was seen by some industry leaders as an acceptable "bridge-fuel" to overcome the use of more emission-intensive energy sources such as coal. Subsequently, natural gas has become the main fuel for electricity generation in the U.S., while the global gas power generation share has reached over 22 percent. How domestic production shapes U.S. natural gas prices The combination of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) and horizontal drilling can be regarded as one of the oil and gas industry’s biggest breakthroughs in decades, with the U.S. being the largest beneficiary. This technology has helped the industry release unprecedented quantities of gas from deposits, mainly shale and tar sands that were previously thought either inaccessible or uneconomic. It is forecast that U.S. shale gas production could reach 36 trillion cubic feet in 2050, up from 1.77 trillion cubic feet in 2000.

The average wholesale electricity price in July 2025 in the United Kingdom is forecast to amount to****** British pounds per megawatt-hour, a decrease from the previous month. A record high was reached in August 2022 when day-ahead baseload contracts averaged ***** British pounds per megawatt-hour.
Electricity price stabilization in Europe Electricity prices increased in 2024 compared to the previous year, when prices stabilized after the energy supply shortage. Price spikes were driven by the growing wholesale prices of natural gas and coal worldwide, which are among the main sources of power in the region.

… and in the United Kingdom? The United Kingdom was one of the countries with the highest electricity prices worldwide during the energy crisis. Since then, prices have been stabilizing, almost to pre-energy crisis levels. The use of nuclear, wind, and bioenergy for electricity generation has been increasing recently. The fuel types are an alternative to fossil fuels and are part of the country's power generation plans going into the future.

In 2023, China was the biggest carbon polluter in the world by far, having released 11.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (GtCO₂). Although the U.S. was the second-biggest emitter, with 4.9 GtCO₂ in 2023, its CO₂ emissions have declined by 13 percent since 2010. By comparison, China’s CO₂ emissions have increased by more than 38 percent in the same period. Cumulative emissions Although China is currently the world's largest carbon polluter, the U.S. has released far more historical carbon dioxide emissions, at more than 400 GtCO₂ since 1750. The wide gap between the two countries is because China's emissions have mostly been produced in the past two decades. Combined, the U.S. and China account for roughly 40 percent of cumulative CO₂ emissions since the Industrial Revolution began. Sources of emissions One of the largest sources of global CO₂ emissions is the power sector, with electricity produced by coal-fired power plants a significant contributor. In China, emissions from coal-fired electricity generation have soared since the turn of the century, and reached 5.2 GtCO₂ in 2023.

China released **** billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2023, making it by far the world's largest polluter that year. While most countries experienced dramatic emission reductions in 2020 due to COVID-19, China was one of only a handful of countries where emissions increased. China’s contribution to global emissions China is now the largest emitter of CO₂ emissions worldwide, producing more than twice the CO₂ emissions of the United States each year. Although China’s contributions to global CO₂ emissions only really started at the turn of the **** century, it has now produced the second-largest volume every in terms of cumulative CO₂ emissions. However, this is still half the total produced by the United States, where industrialization began far earlier. Main sources of China emissions One of the main reasons for China’s high level of emissions is the reliance on coal in its power mix. Coal is the most polluting of energy sources, and accounts for roughly ** percent of China’s electricity generation. In 2020, China announced an ambitious plan to become carbon-neutral by 2060, meaning a significant move away from fossil fuel powered transport and energy is needed.

Oil consumption worldwide reached approximately ************* barrels per day in 2023. This was an increase of around ***** percent in comparison to the previous year, when global oil consumption experienced a drop as a result of the pandemic-enforced mobility restrictions which, in turn, led to a decline in transportation fuel demand. Apart from the years of the financial crisis and the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, oil consumption consecutively increased in every year since 1998. Oil demand by region As a region, Asia-Pacific has the highest demand for oil in the world, followed closely by the Americas. The United States alone contributes strongly to this high regional demand in the Americas, as it is the country with the largest petroleum consumption in the world. Oil is mainly used as a raw material for motor fuels or as a feedstock in the chemicals industry for products ranging from adhesives to plastics. It has historically also been used as a source for electricity and heat generation, although to a lesser extent than other fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. Where is oil produced? Though the U.S. holds only around **** percent of proved oil reserves, it currently accounts for the greatest share of global crude oil production, surpassing countries with far larger oil reserves such as Saudi Arabia. With the expansion of the shale oil industry through new methods of extraction like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, the United States has become less dependent on oil imports as domestic production has drastically increased.