Boom and Bust Coal 2025

In 2024, the world commissioned the lowest amount of new coal power capacity in twenty years (44 GW), yet the global fleet still grew by 18.8 GW because additions exceeded retirements (25.2 GW). While the UK became the sixth country to phase out coal entirely and EU27 retirements grew fourfold, China and India dominated new developments, accounting for 92% of all newly proposed coal capacity. China saw its highest construction starts since 2015 (94 GW), and India recorded its highest year for new proposals (38.4 GW). In the OECD, proposals dropped to five, but annual retirements must more than triple to 70 GW to align with 1.5C pathways. Other trends include a surge in captive coal plants in Indonesia, the promotion of ammonia co-firing in Japan and South Korea, and continued coal pursuit in Russia, Mongolia, and Central Asia.

• Global newly operating coal power capacity in 2024 reached its lowest level since 2004, totaling 44 GW, which is nearly 30 GW below the 2004-2024 annual average of 72 GW.
• Despite the low commissioning rate, the global coal fleet grew by 18.8 GW in 2024 because the 44 GW of new capacity exceeded the 25.2 GW retired.
• China and India are the primary drivers of new coal development, together accounting for 92% (107.3 GW) of all newly proposed coal power capacity in 2024.
• China experienced its highest volume of construction starts since 2015, with 94 GW starting in 2024 following a permitting boom in 2022 and 2023.
• India saw a record high of 38.4 GW in new coal plant proposals in 2024, with state-owned entities sponsoring approximately 60% (22.1 GW) of these proposals.
• The United Kingdom officially became coal-free in 2024 after shutting down its last coal plant on September 30, 2024, making it the sixth country to phase out coal entirely since the 2015 Paris agreement.
• Coal retirements in the EU27 increased fourfold from 2.7 GW in 2023 to 11 GW in 2024, with Germany accounting for 6.7 GW of that total.
• To meet the international Paris climate agreement and keep warming below 1.5C, annual coal capacity retirements in OECD countries must increase from 19 GW in 2024 to 70 GW.
• Indonesia's coal capacity under development has dropped 90% since 2015, but operating capacity has increased due to a surge in captive coal plants for industrial use, particularly in the nickel processing sector.
• Japan and South Korea are promoting ammonia co-firing as a decarbonization strategy, despite the technology being expensive and failing to meet the 90% emission reduction threshold suggested by the IPCC for 'abated' coal.
• Russia, Mongolia, and Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) are bucking global trends by continuing to pursue new coal plants.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2025). Boom and Bust Coal 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2025_23.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. Boom and Bust Coal 2025. 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2025_23.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-Bust-Coal-2025_23.pdf |access-date=23 October 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-Bust-Coal-2025_23.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }