Economics of the International Coal Trade-The Renaissance of Steam Coal - L. Schernikau - Springer.pdf

Economics of the International Coal Trade
Lars Schernikau
Economics of the
International Coal Trade
The Renaissance of Steam Coal
123
Dr. Lars Schernikau
HMS Bergbau AG
Germany
ISBN 978-90-481-9239-7 e-ISBN 978-90-481-9240-3
DOI -90-481-9240-3
Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010929255
© Springer Science+Business Media . 2010
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Foreword 1
Coal, the catalyst of the industrial age, is now poised to shape how the world
consumes energy in the twenty-first century. The ascendance of oil in the global
economy to a looming peak is forcing countries, companies, and consumers to
reconsider their relationship to something they cannot live without: energy. And
while other sources of energy, such as nuclear, natural gas, and renewables, will all
play an ever greater role in serving demand, intelligent observers would be wise
not to miss what is perhaps the clearest trend of all: the second coal era is now
upon us.
The developing world is rapidly electrifying in order to drive economic growth.
And electrification means coal. This is particularly true in India and China, where
coal offers the cheapest and most reliable route to electric power. These two coun-
tries alone will drive 80% of coal consumption growth to 2030. The International
Energy Agency expects that global coal consumption will increase by 60% in the
next two decades. Lars Schernikau’s The Renaissance of Steam Coal could e
at a better time. Lar