GLOBAL coal consumption will swell by almost 50% by 2030, part of a significant jump in the world’s energy use, according to a new report by the US Department of Labor’s Energy Information Administration.

In the International Energy Outlook 2009, the EIA predicted world energy consumption between 2006 and 2030 will increase by 44%, with 73% of this to come from strong economic growth of non-Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

Consumption of coal globally is predicted to spike from 128 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) marked in 2006 to 190 quadrillion Btu in 2030, a 1.7% annual growth rate.

From a tonnage perspective, the world’s use will rise 48%, or 1.6% annually, from 6744 million short tons recorded in 2006 to 9917 million short tons in 2030.

“Much of the projected increase in coal use occurs in the non-OECD Asia region, which accounts for nearly 90 per cent of the total world increase in coal use from 2006 to 2030,” the agency said.

The agency also noted that much of that region’s energy demand was likely to be met by coal, particularly for the industrial market and electric power.

“Installed coal-fired generating capacity in China is projected to nearly triple from 2006 to 2030, and coal use in China’s industrial sector grows by nearly 60 per cent,” the EIA said.

“The development of China’s electric power and industrial sectors will require not only large-scale infrastructure investments but also substantial investment in both coal mining and coal transportation infrastructure.”

In North America specifically, the EIA noted in its data analysis that coal-based power generation will also jump, going from 2006’s total of 24 quadrillion Btu to 29 quadrillion Btu in 2030.

With all of the momentum in energy demand, the agency also projected a spike in the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, which are expected to jump 39% from 29 billion metric tons in 2006 to 33.1 billion metric tons in 2015 and 40.4 billion metric tons in 2030.

“With strong economic growth and continued heavy reliance on fossil fuels expected for most of the non-OECD economies, much of the increase in carbon dioxide emissions is projected to occur among the developing, non-OECD nations,” the report said.

It also pointed out that while non-OECD emissions exceeded OECD emissions by 14% in 2006 this figure would increase to 77% by 2030.