While the demand for electricity had decreased due to the lock-down and recession that occurred last year in the whole world, not only did the demand for electricity rise in China, but also the production of electricity made from coal was recorded in China. And currently China is now responsible for more than half of the world’s total coal-fired power generation, 53 percent.
These facts were revealed by energy think tank Amber through its latest research report. According to the report, China was the only G20 country that saw a major increase in coal production during the epidemic year. At the same time, the world recorded a record decline in coal production in 2020, including India and other countries which were known as coal energy power.
Due to the worldwide epidemic, there was a significant decline in demand for electricity in 2020, and hydropower and solar power had a chance to grow.
There was a record decline in the power generated from coal. The rate of growth in wind and solar power in 2020 was 15% (+ 314TWh), which is more than that when compared to the UK’s full year power generation. This also led to a record drop of 4% (-346 TWh) in coal energy demand.
But China has moved in the opposite direction. It was the only G20 country to see a major increase in both demand for electricity and coal power in 2020. Despite this, China recorded an impressive 16% increase in wind and solar (+ 98TWh) power, but still coal power generation in China also increased by 1.7% (+77 TWh) and 4% of total electricity demand (+297 TWh) increased.
“Despite some growth, China still seems to struggle to curb its coal production growth,” says Amber’s Senior Analyst Dr. Mui Yang, “also in coal power generation due to the rapidly increasing demand for electricity.” There has been an increase, which has also increased the emission. If China moves on the path of development in the right way, it will also be able to overcome the growth of power generated by coal, especially by eliminating the useless and ineffective coal units, so that this country has more to fix its climate. More opportunities will be available. “
The four largest coal-power countries after China reported a decline in coal power in 2020: India (-5%), the United States (-20%), Japan (-1%) and South Korea (-13%). .
India’s coal power declined for the second consecutive year in 2020 (-5%), and solar power saw a significant increase (+ 27%) and the effect of covid -19 led to an increase in electricity demand (-2%). ) Declined.
“India has made its move towards clean electricity generation”, Aditya Lalla, Senior Analyst, Amber said, “India now needs to increase wind and solar power generation in the next ten years, thereby reducing the use of coal and increasing Electricity demand will also be met. India has this golden opportunity which will ensure that there will never be an increase in the decreasing demand for coal.
Despite a record decline in coal in 2020 due to a worldwide pandemic, the emissions of the electricity sector still remained around 2% higher than when the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. In 2020, coal was the single largest electric power source in the world. Global coal production was only 0.8% lower in 2020 than in 2015, while gas production was 11% higher. Even though the production of wind power and solar power doubled since 2015, the use of fossil fuels could not be reduced or eliminated due to increasing demand.
Since 2015, worldwide electricity demand grew by 11%. During this period, China’s electricity demand increased by 1880 TWh (+ 33%), which is even higher than India’s 2020 full-year electricity demand. In Asia, where electricity demand grew quite rapidly, clean electricity was limited to meeting only a part of the growing electricity demand; Almost half in both China (54%) and India (57%) from 2015 to 2020. While on one hand there was a decrease in the use and production of coal, which includes states like Europe and the United States, on the other hand there was a slight decrease in emissions due to the use of fossil fuels.
“Growth is not yet visible,” said Amber Global Lead Dave Jones: “Despite the record decline in coal during the epidemic, it has not been as much as it needed to be. Use of coal power needs to be reduced by 80% if we do not want to reach a dangerous level of global warming of more than 1.5 degrees by 2030. We need to transform all economies around the world by promoting the use of clean electricity instead of coal. The world leaders will now have to wake up to the enormity of this challenge. “
A glimpse of Amber’s Global Electricity Review
This annual report analyzes the electricity data of every country of the world in the wake of the clean electricity changes taking place around the world in 2020 so that the first correct and accurate description can be made. It has been collecting the country’s fuel data year after ye