The Guardian reported that a recently published report pointed out that although the installed capacity of coal-fired power plants under construction worldwide decreased last year (2021), coal consumption and the number of coal-fired power plants planned to be built worldwide are still too high to keep global warming temperatures within a safe range.
Coal-fired power plant capacity under construction hits new low, but power generation growth reaches record high
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, coal use appeared to be on a long-term downward trend, but lockdowns and economic turmoil saw an increase in new coal-fired power plant projects around the world in 2020, particularly in China.
According to a report released on the 26th by the US energy think tank Global Energy Monitor, the total coal-fired power capacity under construction plummeted again last year, by approximately 13% (from 525 GW to 457 GW), setting a new record low for power plants under construction. Furthermore, the number of countries planning new coal-fired power plants also declined, from 41 at the beginning of 2021 to 34.
At the same time, however, the slowdown in the retirement of older coal-fired power plants has significantly reduced the effectiveness of coal reduction. Last year, approximately 25GW of coal-fired power plant capacity was retired, roughly equivalent to the capacity newly commissioned in China. Global coal-fired power generation grew by 9% last year, reaching a record high, exceeding the 4% decline in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic.
Despite latest IPCC warning, global coal-fired power plants continue to operate
Although countries agreed to a "gradual reduction" in coal burning at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) last November, the report's authors believe that "coal is not yet at its last gasp." Last year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that new exploration for all fossil fuels must cease if global warming is to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Furthermore, coal continues to burn despite the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s (UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) latest assessment report, which issued a starker warning that global warming will far exceed 1.5°C without rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Flora Champenois of Global Energy Monitor, one of the report's authors, said: "While coal power is shrinking, there is simply no carbon budget left to build new coal plants. We need to stop now. The directive in the latest IPCC report is clear: stop building new coal plants by 2030, phase out all coal plants in developed countries, and rapidly phase out existing coal plants elsewhere."
The Russia-Ukraine war and weak Chinese demand offer opportunities for transformation
While the Russo-Ukrainian war has had its downsides—increasing natural gas prices, making coal relatively cheap and inducing companies and countries to burn more of the dirtiest fuel—Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and another co-author of the report, said many countries, particularly in Europe, are trying to reform their energy systems, which could also bring benefits by accelerating the development of clean energy and emphasizing energy efficiency.
He believes that attention should be paid to how much the world's action and efficiency towards clean energy have increased due to the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Mi Wei added that weak demand in China also dampens coal's recovery prospects. The country's response to the current resurgence of the pandemic and global economic uncertainty is key. "The question is whether China truly pursues high-quality economic growth, as its leadership claims."
Since the start of the pandemic, China has commissioned more new coal-fired power generation than the rest of the world combined. However, even with new coal-fired power, the amount of coal-fired power generation that is being built should be reduced under the Chinese government's plan to increase clean energy by 2025. The report says that the construction of new coal-fired power plants must be more strictly controlled, otherwise overcapacity could undermine the country's energy transition.
Globally, more than 2,400 coal-fired power plants remain in operation in 79 countries, totaling nearly 2,100 GW of installed capacity. Only 170 coal-fired power plants do not have a final phase-out date or carbon neutrality target, but this number is still too small to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/233967)
