Far East and African demand for energy will be realized in majority by coal in the next 25 years. Majority = 60%, in this case. This is not consistent with the loud plea to cut CO2 output and tomorrow’s IPCC report will have a stronger warning that time is running out.
Coal, which now accounts for about 40 percent of all global electricity production, will likely maintain its dominant role for decades to come. Electricity-poor countries, along with those that are electricity-rich, are currently building hundreds of gigawatts of new coal-fired electricity-generation capacity. Since 2003, global coal consumption has increased by about 24.4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. In absolute terms, that was nine times faster than the growth seen in wind-energy consumption and 40 times that of solar energy
It is one thing to cite a problem, to recommend a general goal, yet introduce precisely no real-world solutions … which is what IPCC report has always been about. But if there is going to be a substantial increase in CO2 output by way of Coal burning, as well as increased loading of the ecosphere with toxics like lead and mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals, well … perhaps we need to be “”groundroots” activating.
China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, and South Korea—are planning to build about 550 gigawatts of new coal-fired capacity over the next two and a half decades. The vast majority of that, some 400 gigawatts, is planned for China.
India’s coal use is expected to more than double by 2035. And within the next six years or so, India will likely surpass China as the world’s largest coal importer.
Electrification lifts people from poverty
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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