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取自http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001061901/ce?archive 

2015年5月7日 06:18 英国《金融时报》 詹姆斯•威尔逊 报道

煤炭是是全球储量最大的资源，但反对使用煤炭的声浪逐渐增长。巨大的碳排放量导致气候变化，引起公众的担忧，煤炭相对其他燃料(资源)的竞争力減弱。以美国为例，页岩气的出现造成部分煤炭产量由于价格过高而被挤出市场。去年的美国的煤炭需求量是9.2亿吨。由于天然气的价格下跌，今年的需求量将会下降6000万吨到8000万吨。

Coal is the most abundant energy source in the world, but opponents to its use are more vocal than ever. It is concern at coal’s role in creating carbon emissions and hence climate change. Coal’s competitiveness against other types of fuel has fallen. In the US, for example, the emergence of shale gas has meant some coal output has been priced out of the market. US coal demand last year was close to 920m short tons. But falls in the price of natural gas will cut US coal demand by 60m-80m tons this year.

数据显示，煤炭满足了全世界30%的能源需求，并且产出了40%的电力。在第一第二大人口国中国和印度，煤炭满足的能源比例甚至高达70%。中国的煤炭消费量在2014年已经下滑，煤炭进口下降了11%，这是十年来的首次下降。中国经济增速已经放缓，同时也做出极大努力削减煤炭使用以减少污染。由于燃煤发电厂仅运行了五成多点的装机容量，再加上煤炭供应充足，造成国际煤炭价格被压低。煤炭出口价格较2011年顶峰下降了约60%。

Statistics show that coal provides about 30 percent of global energy needs and generates more than 40 percent of the world’s electricity. In the world’s most populous countries, China and India, the percentage of energy needs met by coal is even higher at about 70 percent. Coal consumption in China fell in 2014, with imports down 11 percent, the first fall in a decade. Economic growth has slowed, while China is also making strenuous efforts to cut coal use to reduce pollution. Coal-fired electricity plants are running at little over half their installed capacity and, combined with abundant supply, this has pushed down global coal prices. Export coal prices have fallen about 60 percent from a 2011 peak.