{"id":327832,"date":"2024-05-11T17:03:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-11T15:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=327832"},"modified":"2024-05-11T17:03:16","modified_gmt":"2024-05-11T15:03:16","slug":"asia-embraces-coal-as-the-u-s-rejects-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=327832","title":{"rendered":"Asia Embraces Coal as the U.S. Rejects It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
SHANXI, CHINA -NOVEMBER 25: (CHINA, HONG KONG, MACAU, TAIWAN OUT) Coal is piled up as it is sorted at a coal mine on November 25, 2015 in Shanxi, China. A history of heavy dependence on burning coal for energy has made China the source of nearly a third of the world’s total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the toxic pollutants widely cited by scientists and environmentalists as the primary cause of global warming. China’s government has publicly set 2030 as a deadline to reach the country’s emissions peak, and data suggest the country’s coal consumption is already in decline. (Photo by Kevin Frayer\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Vijay Jayaraj<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vietnam and other Asian countries are on a coal spree! Given the dynamics of energy use in the rapidly developing industrial sector there, it is no surprise that these nations have backpedalled on big promises made at international climate conferences to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vietnam\u2019s projected 2024 growth rate for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stands at 5.8%<\/a>, the sixth highest in Asia. Among the biggest contributors to GDP is the industrial sector (38 percent<\/a>), especially manufacturing. S&P Global has noted a considerable improvement in Vietnam\u2019s manufacturing sector in the fourth quarter of 2023 and is expecting Vietnam to perform well this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electricity is a cornerstone to manufacturing operations in Vietnam. In 2023, coal produced more than 40% of all electricity<\/a> in the country, while the country\u2019s abundant hydro reserves contributed around 30%. Natural gas accounted for about 10%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, 2024 is expected to see a shortfall in hydroelectric generation because of less rainfall<\/a>. Simultaneously, electricity production with natural gas is being complicated by forecasts of higher gas prices. Bloomberg reports that state-run PetroVietnam Gas \u201crecently decided not to purchase<\/a> a cargo for June due to high offer prices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, the heavy lifting to meet power demand must now come from coal. The country is urging coal miners to maximize production before demand reaches peak in the summer months. The country\u2019s prime minister has asked for an increase in coal exploration as well, signalling a sustained interest in medium to long-time reliance on coal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vietnam\u2019s move to increase coal use was inevitable. It cannot continually risk a huge demand-supply gap whenever dams go dry or gas prices skyrocket. The growth rate of power demand from expanding industries is increasing at a fair pace, and energy security is critical in ensuring manufacturing\u2019s positive trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar Pattern Across Asia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across Asia, a similar phenomenon is unfolding. The regional coal resurgence can be attributed to the rapid economic growth in these countries. China, the world\u2019s largest coal consumer, witnessed a rise in consumption in 2024. Earlier this year, reports<\/a> showed the construction of dozens of new coal plants in China. In 2023, the country accounted for 95% of construction of the world\u2019s new coal power plants<\/a>. There are a total of 1,142 operating coal-fired plants<\/a> in China, which is five times more than in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

India, another major player in the Asian energy market, also saw an increase in coal imports and production. India has increased its spending on infrastructure, with an expected rebound<\/a> in demand for coal-based steel and raw material manufacturing. Indonesia has 254<\/a> operational coal-fired power plants and 40 new plants under construction. Japan, too, is a big consumer of coal, being the top importer of Australian coal in recent years<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like Australia, the U.S. has been a top source of coal imports for these Asian countries. S&P Global says, \u201cU.S. metallurgical coal exports have seen growth fueled by Asian demand over the past few years. The potential for seaborne volumes to grow hinge on expansions in blast furnace steelmaking and met coke production in India, China and Southeast Asia.\u201d New mines such as Arch Resource\u2019s Leer South and the AMCI, POSCO and Itochu-led Allegheny Met\u2019s Longview mine will play a role in meeting this demand from Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is an irony that U.S. miners are able to meet Asian needs while their own government rejects them as a fuel source for cheap electricity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The advancement of recent emission-reduction targets for U.S. industry, as well as restrictions on the export capacity of natural gas by the Biden administration is quite astonishing in light of the ongoing expansions in fossil fuel capacity by various Asian nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quality life for millions of Americans could very well decline in return for zero environmental benefit as that of Asians improves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This commentary was first published at Real Clear Energy<\/em><\/a> on May 8, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vijay Jayaraj is a Research Associate at the\u00a0<\/em>CO2 Coalition<\/em><\/a>, Arlington, Virginia. He holds a master\u2019s degree in environmental sciences from the University of East Anglia, U.K.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vietnam and other Asian countries are on a coal spree! Given the dynamics of energy use in the rapidly developing industrial sector there, it is no surprise that these nations have backpedalled on big promises made at international climate conferences to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":327834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691828568,691818341,691819635,691818231],"class_list":{"0":"post-327832","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-asian-countries","9":"tag-china","10":"tag-coal","11":"tag-vietnam","13":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/0-Asia-Embraces-Coal.jpg?fit=2200%2C1467&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1nhC","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":233531,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=233531","url_meta":{"origin":327832,"position":0},"title":"Mission Critical: Coal-Fired Power Central to China & India\u2019s Growing Economic Fortunes","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/12\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"China and India clearly didn\u2019t get the memo that reckons coal-fired power is dead. 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