Coal to match oil as most-used energy source

Coal is likely to provide the world with virtually as much energy as oil thanks to demand from emerging economies using it to power their advance, according to a report from BP.

The report says coal use will increase by 1.2 per cent a year and is set to match world oil use, excluding biofuels, by 2030.

Demand from countries such as Brazil, Russia, India and China is set to raise energy consumption by 40 per cent by 2030, with 93 per cent of this increase coming from developing countries which are not part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

BP says fossil fuels will supply much of this growth, with steady but modest progress from renewable energy sources such as wind and wave power.

Oil, excluding biofuels, will grow slowly by 0.6 per cent each year, while gas will be the fastest-growing fossil fuel at a rate of 2.1 per cent each year.

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