With 14.9 GW of coal-fired capacity to retire in 2022, the Energy Information Administration July 12 estimated 2022 coal consumption at 481.7 million st, down 3.9% on the year. “The possibility of economic activity being less robust than assumed in our forecast could result in lower-than-forecast energy consumption,” the EIA said in its July Short-Term Energy Report. “Factors driving uncertainty about energy supply include how sanctions affect Russia’s oil production, the production decisions of OPEC+, and the rate at which U.S. oil and natural gas production rises.” The EIA projected that power-sector coal consumption will decline by another 4.8% to 458.8 million st in 2023. Coal generation is expected to decline from 22.5% in 2021 to 21.1% in 2022, before falling to 19.9% in 2023 – the same coal generation share as 2020. Natural gas is expected to make up for some of coal’s declining share of the power […]