Boom and Bust Coal 2025

In 2024, global new coal capacity reached its lowest level in two decades, though China and India continued significant expansions. While the EU27 saw a fourfold increase in retirements and the UK closed its last coal plant, Indonesia experienced a surge in 'captive' coal plants for industrial use, contradicting its stated transition goals.

• Global new coal-fired power plant capacity in 2024 reached its lowest point in 20 years, totaling 44 GW, which is nearly 30 GW lower than the 2004–2024 annual average of 72 GW.
• Despite the global decline, China and India dominated new coal development in 2024, together accounting for 92% of all newly proposed global coal capacity (107 GW out of 116 GW). China recorded its highest number of construction starts since 2015 with 94 GW, while India proposed 38 GW of new capacity.
• The European Union (EU27) saw coal plant retirements increase fourfold from 2.7 GW in 2023 to 11 GW in 2024, with Germany contributing 6.7 GW. The United Kingdom became the sixth country to completely phase out coal since the 2015 Paris Agreement by closing its final coal plant.
• Indonesia is experiencing a surge in 'captive' coal plants—those serving high-energy industries like metal smelting—which accounted for over 80% of the 1.9 GW of new capacity added in 2024. Captive capacity in the metal processing sector grew from 5.5 GW in 2019 to 16.6 GW in 2024.
• Indonesia's national energy plans are contradictory: while President Prabowo mentioned a 2040 phase-out of fossil fuels, the National Electricity Supply Plan 2024–2060 outlines the addition of 26.7 GW of coal capacity over the next seven years, with 75% being captive plants.
• The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) in Indonesia has faced setbacks, including the withdrawal of the United States in February 2025 under the second Trump administration, with Germany and Japan taking over the lead role.
• In Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia saw increases in proposed coal capacity, largely funded by Chinese companies, despite China's 2021 pledge to stop building coal plants abroad.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2025). Boom and Bust Coal 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-and-Bust-Coal-2025-Indonesian_3.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. Boom and Bust Coal 2025. 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-and-Bust-Coal-2025-Indonesian_3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=Boom and Bust Coal 2025 |date=April 2025 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-and-Bust-Coal-2025-Indonesian_3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2025boom, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{Boom and Bust Coal 2025}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2025}, month = apr, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-and-Bust-Coal-2025-Indonesian_3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }