Asia is set to support global coal demand for the next 5 years: IEA

KOLKATA: Global coal demand is expected to decline in 2019 but remain broadly stable over the next five years supported by robust growth in major Asian markets, International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted in its latest market analysis and forecast.

IEA is a Paris-based autonomous inter-government organization which acts as a policy adviser to its member states. It also works with non-member countries, especially China, India, and Russia. The Agency focuses on the “3Es” of effectual energy policy: energy security, economic development, and environmental protection.

According to IEA, the weakness in coal demand this year results mainly from coal-fired electricity generation, which is set to experience its largest ever decline – over 250 terawatt hours (TWh), or more than 2.5%. This drop is led by double-digit falls in the United States and Europe, according to Coal 2019, released on Tuesday and contains forecasts through 2024.