Two people in safety clothes with heavy machinery and coal in the background.

In 2024, EU coal production and consumption fell to their lowest recorded levels, reaching 242 million tonnes and 306 million tonnes, respectively. Compared with 2023, the consumption fell by 13% and the production by 12%. This came after a record year-on-year decrease between 2022 and 2023 when production fell by 21% and consumption by 23%.

Inland consumption and production of coal in the EU, 1990-2024, million tonnes. Chart. See the link to the full dataset below.

Source datasets: nrg_cb_sff and nrg_cb_sffm

This historical decrease in coal consumption in the EU was accompanied by a fading role of the fuel in electricity generation. The share of coal in electricity generation in the EU fell from 16% in 2022 to 12% in 2023. 

Russia loses its position as the EU’s main hard coal supplier

In recent years, there has been a significant reshuffling among the main suppliers of coal to the EU. Net imports of hard coal from Russia plummeted by 98% between 2021 and 2023. This decline was a consequence of the EU’s ban on hard coal imports from Russia, which came into force in August 2022, following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

In 2023, 90% of hard coal net imports originated from 5 countries: Australia and the United States (both 25%), Colombia (18%), South Africa (14%) and Kazakhstan (9%).

Man partners for net imports of hard coal to the EU in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023. Chart. See link tot he full dataset below.

Source dataset: nrg_ti_sff and nrg_te_sff

In 2023, the EU’s import dependency rate for hard coal reached 67%. This dependency rate remains below the ones for oil and natural gas (95% and 90%, respectively).