Big Coal Booming on Earth Day

Just a quick note to those seeking a rapid decline in emissions of greenhouse gases (and other pollution) from coal combustion: The challenge, in a world with rising populations and energy appetites, is getting harder by the day.

The latest evidence comes in an Earth Day news release from Peabody Energy, the largest private coal company, which is thriving both domestically and through rapidly growing coal exports from its worldwide mining operations to China, India and other developing countries. The most important bullet points are appended below.

To gauge the pace of coal commerce, check the amazing tonnage ticker on Peabody’s Web site, which by my estimate logs about 7 tons a second in sales. To gauge the climatic implications (from coal burning and other sources of carbon dioxide), watch the animation above, created by the environmental visualizer Adam Nieman. His video illustrates what carbon dioxide emissions from human activities would look like if you could watch the gas volume accumulate in front of you in real-time.

Here’s a section of Peabody Energy statement on global trends:

International markets remain outstanding in the Pacific Rim, with China and India coal import demand continuing at record rates and developed economies running at higher capacity factors as they recover from the global financial crisis. Global steel production is expected to increase more than 10 percent in 2010, and global seaborne metallurgical coal demand is expected to increase by more than 50 million tonnes.

Approximately 94 gigawatts of new coal-fueled plants are expected to begin operations in 2010, representing approximately 375 million tons of annual coal demand.

China’s net coal imports reached 39 million tons in the first quarter of 2010, putting the nation on a pace to exceed 2009’s record 104 million tons of net imports.

India’s coal imports are projected to rise 25 percent to approximately 110 million tons in 2010. The country is increasing steel production and has 78 gigawatts of new coal-based plants currently under construction.

These numbers, which are in line with projections by various independent energy analysts, vividly illustrate that the blazing growth in wind and solar manufacturing and deployment in Asia has to be considered against a backdrop of enduring growth in the use of fossil fuels (and resulting emissions).