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Indonesia’s coal
production reached a new high in 2024 amid rising demand for energy both
domestically and globally.
Last year’s output
was at 831-million tons, according to preliminary data updated on Friday by the
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. That’s 17%
higher than the government’s target for 2024. Sales
also rose to their highest level, the data showed.
The Southeast Asian country is the world’s biggest exporter of the dirty fuel and relies on it for the
majority of its power needs. President Prabowo Subianto has said Indonesia is
planning to retire all its coal power plants by 2040.
Global coal consumption has doubled in the
past three decades, though demand is set to plateau through 2027, according to
the International Energy Agency. In most advanced economies, coal demand has
already peaked and is expected to keep decreasing through 2027, the agency said
in a December report.
As Indonesia’s coal
production rises every year, achieving its target to phase it out by 2040 will
be difficult in a nation where renewables roll-out has lagged behind neighbors.
Output in other major producers, including China, has also risen to meet global
demand, despite an urgent need for the world to turn to cleaner sources of
energy.