Good starting read. Without China stopping coal use...our destruction of jobs and massively increasing our cost of power is a gigantic waste...if you believe in dangerous man made global warming.
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/facts/coal/20071
Coal facts
What is coal?
Coal is a mineral deposit that is rich in carbon content. This carbon is important, as it is what gives the coal the greater majority of its energy content. When coal is burned in the presence of air or oxygen, heat energy is released. This energy can then be converted to other forms of useful energy.
Key facts
Canada’s coal production in 2016 was 61 mega tonnes (Mt)
Canada exported 30 Mt of coal and imported 6 Mt
Alberta and British Columbia produce 85% of Canada’s coal
In 2016, the Government of Canada announced its plan to eliminate the use of traditional coal fired electricity in Canada by 2030
Learn more about coal in Canada
Coal industry
International context
Supply and demand
Trade
Production and use
Coal industry
In 2014, coal made up 28.6% of the world’s energy supply. In Canada, there is an abundance of low-cost, domestic coal across many parts of the nation while other regions have easy access to an international supply.
The Canadian coal industry produces coal for use in metallurgical applications and thermal applications (e.g. electricity generation). Nearly half of coal produced is thermal and half is metallurgical. Some power-generating companies not only use coal for electricity generation but also own coal mines or are involved in coal production. Other companies generate electricity from purchased coal.
International context
Find out how Canada’s coal ranks on an international scale:
World Production World exports World proved reserves
World production* – 7.3 billion tonnes (2016, preliminary)
Rank Country Percentage of Total
1 China 45%
2 United States 10%
3 India 9%
4 Australia 7%
5 Indonesia 6%
12 Canada 1%
Supply and demand
In 2016, Canadian production of coal was 61 mega tonnes (Mt).
37 Mt of coal was used in Canada mostly for electricity generation in Alberta and Saskatchewan and additionally for metallurgical applications.
Trade
Coal imports have been trending down for over a decade, while exports have held steady. The majority of Canada’s coal exports go to Asia, which is still a significant consumer.
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Exports and imports
In 2016, Canada exported 30 mega tonnes (Mt) of coal around the world and imported 6 mega tonnes (Mt) of coal.
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Production and use
10% of electricity in Canada is generated with coal. With the phasing out of coal fired electricity by the Government of Canada, energy produced by coal will be eliminated by 2030. That being said, coal will continue to be used for metallurgical processes.
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Coal-fired generating capacity by province, 2017
Province Total
coal-generating capacity (MW) Share of total capacity (%)
Alberta 6,457 65.7%
Saskatchewan 1,530 15.6%
Nova Scotia 1,252 12.7%
New Brunswick 490 5%
Manitoba** 105 1.1%
Total 9,834 100%
Note: The government has announced its plan to eliminate the use of traditional coal-fired electricity in Canada by 2030.
** As per provincial regulations, the Brandon coal-fired power plant may be used only in emergency situations.
Sources
Date Modified: 2018-01-04
Sheerness power plant and coal
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