Coal
Estimated emissions of CO2 produced by coal-fired generation of electricity were 1,788 million metric tons in 1999, 0.7 percent less than in 1998, while electricity generation from coal was 0.4
percent more than the previous year.
CO2 emissions from coal-fired electricity generation comprise nearly 80 percent of the total CO2 emissions produced by the generation of electricity in the United States, while the share
of electricity generation from coal was 51.0 percent in 1999. Coal has the highest carbon intensity among fossil fuels, resulting in coal-fired plants having the highest output rate of CO2 per
kilowatthour.
The national average output rate for coal-fired electricity generation was 2.095 pounds CO2 per kilowatt hour in 1999.
Coal-fired generation contributes over 90 percent of CO2 emissions in the East North Central, West North Central, East South Central, and Mountain Census Divisions and 84 percent in the
South Atlantic Census Division.
Nearly two-thirds of the Nation's CO2 emissions from electricity generation are accounted for by the combustion of coal for electricity generation in these
five regions where most of the Nation's coal-producing States are located. Consequently, these regions have relatively high output rates of CO2 per kilowatt hour.
DEFINITION: Billion short tons of coal consumed per country per year.
Total: 4,558,273,000 Billion short tons
Weighted average: 111,177,390.2 Billion short tons
Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)
#1 China: 1,310,000,000
#2 United States: 1,060,000,000
#3 India: 339,000,000
#4 Russia: 298,000,000
#5 Germany: 265,000,000
#6 South Africa: 170,500,000
#7 Japan: 149,500,000
#8 Australia: 144,170,000
#9 Korea, North: 103,600,000
#10 Ukraine: 97,200,000
#11 Turkey: 81,100,000
#12 Korea, South: 71,700,000
#13 Greece: 70,500,000
#14 Canada: 67,000,000
#15 United Kingdom: 66,100,000
#16 Taiwan: 52,900,000
#17 Spain: 45,190,000
#18 Thailand: 24,900,000
#19 Brazil: 23,500,000
#20 Italy: 22,400,000
#21 France: 20,890,000
#22 Mexico: 13,410,000
#23 Indonesia: 12,000,000
#24 Philippines: 9,500,000
#25 Vietnam: 7,300,000
#26 Portugal: 6,670,000
#27 Chile: 5,100,000
#28 Pakistan: 4,600,000
#29 Colombia: 4,500,000
#30 Malaysia: 3,300,000
#31 Iran: 2,300,000
#32 Egypt: 2,200,000
#33 Norway: 1,570,000
#34 Argentina: 1,470,000
#35 Peru: 920,000
#36 Venezuela: 70,000
#37 Paraguay: 70,000
#38 Panama: 70,000
#39 Nigeria: 70,000
#40 Ghana: 3,000
#41 Azerbaijan: 0