Record drop in coal use sees 2015 global emissions stall – BP

Global coal use fell by the largest margin on record in 2015 according to data from the latest BP Statistical Review of World Energy.

The 1.8% drop – representing 71mn tonnes of oil equivalent – is the largest percentage and volumetric fall in BP’s dataset and compares to a previous ten-year annual average growth rate of 2.1%. The US and China were responsible for the drop in use, which saw the fuel fall to a 29% share of global primary energy consumption – the lowest share since 2005, according to BP.

The fall in coal use was a large contributor to carbon emissions from energy use all but stalling in 2015, remaining close to the 2014 level of 33.5bn tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted over the year. Declines were led by the US and Russia, while emissions in China dropped very slightly. India saw the biggest increase in carbon emissions in 2015. The data from BP echo earlier estimates indicating that global carbon emissions stalled in 2015 (see Energy World January 2016).

‘As this edition of the Stats Review clearly demonstrates, the world of energy is again going through a period of profound change,’ said BP Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley when launching the report.

This 65th edition of the review highlights several other large-scale shifts in the global energy landscape, including the mix of energy sources continuing to move towards lower carbon fuels. BP data indicates that renewable energy reached 2.8% of global energy consumption in 2015, up from 0.8% a decade ago. Renewables accounted for 6.7% of global power generation, growing by 15%, or 213 TWh, in 2015.

China and Germany recorded the largest growth of renewables in power generation; and wind energy, which increased by 17% in 2015, represents the largest source of renewable electricity at 52% of total generation from renewables. Solar power generation grew by 33% in 2015.

Elsewhere, nuclear output grew by 1.3% in 2015, with China accounting for all of the net increase. The EU’s nuclear output fell by 2%, to its lowest level since 1992. Nuclear power accounted for 4.4% of global primary energy consumption.

The ramifications of the US shale revolution continue to be felt with the technology unlocking large levels of oil and gas resources. Natural gas and oil consumption saw a growth in 2015 of 1.7% and 1.9% respectively. Oil prices averaged $52 per barrel in 2015 – the lowest annual average since 2004 and a decline of $47 per barrel from 2014. Prices for all other fossil fuel energy also dropped in 2015.

Despite the growth in renewables, oil remains comfortably the world’s leading fuel at 33% of global energy consumption.

The review also notes the continuing decline in energy consumption growth, with global demand for primary energy growing by 1% in 2015 – similar to the 1.1% growth in 2014 but well below the ten-year average of 1.9% growth. This lower growth rate reflects an on-going slow global economy as well as a drop in Chinese energy consumption as the country moves away from industry and more towards a service-based economy. Emerging economies now account for 58% of global energy consumption.

 More detailed information on the statistics can be found at www.bp.com/statisticalreview