Coal fades in developed world but is far from dead in Asia

In the energy business, perceptions of change often run ahead of reality. The 19th century is widely thought of as the Age of Coal. However, as environmental scientist Vaclav Smil points out, the dominant sources of total fuel use worldwide were wood, charcoal and straw.

Chinese city dwellers can live in the shadow of coal power plants

On that basis, it was the 20th century that was the true Age of Coal. The lesson, Mr Smil told a conference of energy experts and policymakers in 2013, is that “these energy transitions to higher quality fuels . . . take a very, very long time”.

The survival of the global coal industry into the 21st century proves his point.

Read the story from the Financial Times by Ed Crooks- “Coal fades in developed world but is far from dead in Asia.”