Boom and Bust Coal 2026

The Boom and Bust Coal 2026 report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes global coal power capacity trends in 2025, noting a decoupling where new capacity additions increased while overall electricity generation declined. The report highlights that coal commissioning is increasingly concentrated in China and India, while other nations see a shrinking pipeline of new projects.

• In 2025, global coal power capacity additions rose by 3.5%, totaling 97.4 GW, which is the second-highest annual total on record after 2015's 107.3 GW. Despite this growth in capacity, global coal-fired electricity generation decreased by 0.6%.
• Coal plant commissioning in 2025 was heavily concentrated in China and India. China added a decade-high of 78.1 GW, while India added 10 GW. Outside these two nations, commissioning was low at 9.2 GW, with Indonesia contributing 4 GW, Bangladesh 1.3 GW, and South Korea 1.1 GW.
• Global coal power under development grew by 12%, increasing from 633 GW in 2024 to 710 GW in 2025. This expansion was primarily driven by China and India, while development in other countries remained flat and limited to a shrinking number of nations, often consisting of isolated or residual projects.
• The United States was the only major economy to increase coal generation in 2025. In South Africa, the completion of the final 0.8 GW unit of the Kusile power station means the country no longer has coal power capacity under construction.
• External shocks, such as the U.S.-Israeli War with Iran, caused gas prices to surge, which in turn pushed international benchmark coal prices up by nearly 20% during the first month of the conflict.

APA

Bangladesh, G. E. M. A. A. B. B. F. F. B. C. E. C. S. C. C. D. E. I. K. N. P. P. R. W. S. R. F. S. T. A. W. (2026). Boom and Bust Coal 2026. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/boom-and-bust-coal-2026

Chicago

Bangladesh, Global Energy Monitor, AJTN, Arayara, Bankwatch, Beyond Fossil Fuels, BWGED, CAN Europe, Chile Sustentable, CLEAN, CREA, DHORA, E3G, INSAPROMA, Kiko Network, POLEN, PRIED, Razom We Stand, Reclaim Finance, SFOC, Trend Asia, Waterkeepers. Boom and Bust Coal 2026. Global Energy Monitor, 2026. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/boom-and-bust-coal-2026.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bangladesh |first1=Global Energy Monitor, AJTN, Arayara, Bankwatch, Beyond Fossil Fuels, BWGED, CAN Europe, Chile Sustentable, CLEAN, CREA, DHORA, E3G, INSAPROMA, Kiko Network, POLEN, PRIED, Razom We Stand, Reclaim Finance, SFOC, Trend Asia, Waterkeepers |title=Boom and Bust Coal 2026 |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |date=29 May 2026 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/boom-and-bust-coal-2026 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bangladesh2026boom, author = {Bangladesh, Global Energy Monitor, AJTN, Arayara, Bankwatch, Beyond Fossil Fuels, BWGED, CAN Europe, Chile Sustentable, CLEAN, CREA, DHORA, E3G, INSAPROMA, Kiko Network, POLEN, PRIED, Razom We Stand, Reclaim Finance, SFOC, Trend Asia, Waterkeepers}, title = {{Boom and Bust Coal 2026}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/boom-and-bust-coal-2026}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }