Global coal consumption 2023, by leading country

In 2023, China was by far the largest consumer of coal in the world. That year, the country used some 4.99 billion million metric tons of the fossil fuel, which translated to more than half of total worldwide coal consumption. India and the United States followed as the second and third largest coal consumers, with wide margins between all three of the countries. 

The role of coal in China's energy sector

Due to substantial deposits within its territory, coal has long been a major source of energy in China. This is particularly true for power and heat generation. In 2022, the coal share of total electricity production in China still amounted to more than 60 percent, despite recent gains in China's renewable energy output. As an economic powerhouse requiring huge amounts of energy, China is not only the largest consumer of coal, but also the world's largest renewable energy consumer.

Most consumed energy sources

Although many countries are actively striving to increase renewable capacity additions in an effort to curb their carbon footprint, phasing out fossil fuels has proven challenging. Oil, natural gas, and coal remain by far the most consumed primary energy types in the world, their share in final consumption having changed only marginally in the last four years. This is also due to the wide spectrum of usage applications, such as within the transportation sector and for manufacturing industries.