Washington, August 6- Neftegaz.RU. Coal consumption in the U.S. power sector last year was the lowest in more than 30 years and the fourth straight year for a decline, the government stated.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that the nation's power sector consumed 661 million short tons of coal last year, the lowest level since 1983.
DNV GL in a June survey of 813 senior oil and gas professionals found 64 % of the sector leaders expected to either increase or sustain spending on natural gas projects this year. More than 3 quarters of those surveyed said it will be natural gas that leads the global economy to a low-carbon future.
The shift is represented by global perceptions of coal. Survey results showed that 72 % said coal may become obsolete in the decades ahead. By region, it's the Middle East and North Africa that is shifting most as only 33 % of survey respondents in North America said they were moving toward a low-carbon energy mix.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been a vocal supporter of the fossil fuels industry. In his inaugural State of the Union address, the president declared an end to the war on clean coal. Coal accounts for about 30 % of total energy used globally and about 40 % of total electricity generation
Author: Daniel J. Graeber
