Europe's consumption of coal rose last year - the first increase in 20 years - according to official statistics released today.
Gross inland consumption of hard coal in the EU-27 had decreased steadily in the 1990s. Then, from 1999 to 2007, it remained relatively stable at between 350 and 380 megatonne (Mt).
Further large decreases in consumption were observed once again in 2008 and, above all, in 2009, when gross inland consumption of hard coal in the EU-27 reached its lowest level at 292 Mt, 42% less than in 1990.
The most recent figures for 2010 indicate that the decrease in coal consumption has now reversed, since a slight increase of around 2% was recorded compared with 2009.
Production of hard coal has decreased almost continuously from 1990 to 2010, and the relative change has been more pronounced than for consumption: in 2010, production was only about a third of that for 1990.
In 2010, about 42% of gross inland consumption could be covered by production in the EU-27, compared with 74% in 1990. Increasing imports explain the more stable period in consumption between 2000 and 2007.
Gross inland consumption of lignite in the EU-27 from 1990 to 2007 followed the same trends as hard coal, with a large decrease in the 1990s, followed by a more stable period up to 2007.
The decrease in consumption from 1990 to 1999 (40%) was somewhat more pronounced than for hard coal (29%). From 2007 to 2010, consumption of lignite decreased further, but only by a small amount. The year with the lowest level of consumption of lignite in the EU over the period from 1990 to 2010 was 2010, at 420 Mt, which is 41% less than in 1990. Consumption follows production very closely, since very little lignite is imported into the EU or exported from it.
In 2010, the EU imported 165 Mt of hard coal, compared with 179 Mt in 2009. Russia and Colombia remained the two leading sources, with shares of 28.2% and 20.7% respectively (30.0% and 17.8% in 2009). The USA came third, with 15.6% (12.8% in 2009).
Imports from South Africa decreased by 12 Mt compared with 2009 and its share of imports into the EU fell from 15.9% to 9.9%. Australia overtook South Africa as a source of hard coal in 2010 with a 10.6% share.
Production of coke in coke ovens increased by 15.8% in 2010 compared with 2009. Imports to and exports from the EU also increased slightly. Despite the large increase, production of hard coke in 2010 was still much lower than in 2008 (35.3 Mt against 43.7 Mt).
F Starr, UK Claverton Group around 10 months ago