These rapid U.S. declines may be short-lived, as natural-gas prices rise and utilities increase coal consumption.
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He noted coal consumption, mostly used for electricity generation, has fallen 10%, while natural gas usage is up 25%.
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Another important driver is India, where coal consumption has risen rapidly, averaging 8.5% between 2006 and 2010, according to EIA data.
With little or no help from EPA, power sector coal consumption is expected to fall 2% this year and 4% next year.
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Last week the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a shocking drop in power sector coal consumption in the first quarter of 2012.
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The China National Coal Association expects demand to grow by 4-6% in 2010 and the coal consumption to expand to roughly 3.4 billion tonnes.
But he is able to show support for increased natural gas usage as it has wider appeal and it would displace coal consumption.
The story sounds even better at the Tennessee Valley Authority, which in 2012 reduced its coal consumption by 16% to about 30 million tons.
As the U.S. has reduced its coal consumption, it has increased its coal exports to Europe, which rose 23% in 2012 from a year earlier, according to federal statistics.
WSJ: Rise in U.S. Gas Production Fuels Unexpected Plunge in Emissions
Many coal companies such as Alpha Natural Resources and Peabody Energy Corporation are mulling over the fate of coal as consumption has continued to decline in the U.S.. Natural gas has undoubtedly given coal companies a run for their money since prices began to slide last year.
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Although the country continues to grapple with rising oil prices and experiments with expensive ways to clean up coal, energy consumption can be significantly reduced through energy efficiency.
But with demand for energy growing year on year, consumption of coal continues to increase.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that natural gas consumption for power generation will increase by 20% by 2050 and consumption of coal will decline.
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The future is coal-based: half of Asia's primary energy consumption, and 70% of China's, is coal.
In the U.S., Peabody sees coal coming back strong, with consumption expected to rise by more than 40 million tons next year as high natural gas prices translate into greater coal-based generation.
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On Thursday, state-run news agency Xinhua reported that the authorities have now set a target designed to curb the growing consumption of energy, and coal in particular.
Meantime Hanson will hunt for more growth in overseas markets--now 40% of sales--where coal accounts for 22% of primary energy consumption.
Nationwide that switching amounted to an uptick of some 8 billion cubic feet a day of gas consumption, offsetting millions of tons of coal.
The carbon bubble, quite simply, is the constantly increasing consumption of fossil fuels that began with coal in the 19th century and then continued with oil and gas in the 20th.
Coal mines are closing down, but not fast enough to match consumption with production.
Green energy is desirable, but try telling China to limit its consumption, production, and acquisition of traditional oil, gas, and coal resources and see how far you get.
Inventories for coal, copper and iron ore as well as oil are too high based on current consumption.
The 21st century will be remembered as the resurgent coal and oil century, or as the century humanity transitioned to green technologies for energy consumption.
Fitch Credit Ratings estimates that this is whittling coal sales by about 63 million tons per year, equivalent to 6% of 2010 consumption, with new EPA regulations further reducing sales by another 5%.
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Half of the 2 billion tons of coal China burns each year, accounting for two-thirds of the country's energy consumption, feeds industry.
Coal is the third most consumed fossil fuel and will represent 28% of the world's energy consumption by 2035, according to a report by the Department of Energy.
Lower gas prices will increase energy consumption and displace some lower-carbon nuclear power and renewables, but will also squeeze out some dirty coal and oil.
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