'Coal power capacity inches up in 2024'

The world's coal-fired power fleet inched up by 18.8GW in 2024, its lowest rise in two decades, data from US think tank Global Energy Monitor showed on Thursday.

Despite a record surge in renewables, 44GW of new coal power was commissioned by 12 countries last year, higher than the 25.2GW of retirements, GEM's annual coal plant tracker report said. At 2,143GW, global coal generation capacity is now 13% higher than it was when the Paris climate agreement was signed.

China put an additional 30.5GW into operation last year. India saw coal power increase by 5.6GW in 2024, versus 5.5GW in 2023, according to GEM. Other countries that launched new plants in 2024 included Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Korea and the Philippines.