Interesting article on the worlds coal use
http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2013/12/five-graphs-that-tell-the-future-story-of-coal/

"International demand for coal is only going in one direction: up. Radical action to stall the growth of coal and curb the growth in greenhouse gas emissions is off-track, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The IEA's latest five-year outlook predicts coal consumption will grow at an average 2.3 per cent per year. The world will burn almost nine billion tonnes of coal per year by 2018 "

"Despite efforts from the Chinese government to encourage more efficient use of energy and more power from renewables, China will account for nearly 60 per cent of the predicted growth.

China: the centre of the coal world

Coal demand grew by 170 megatonnes around the world in 2012, according to the report, or 2.3 per cent of annual consumption. China accounted for 97 per cent of that increase.

China is now importing roughly as much seaborne coal as the rest of the world combined - and its coal consumption is expected to grow by another 17 per cent over the next five years. Overall, China alone will account for half the expected growth in coal demand to 2018"

Coal , The fuel of the future, unfortunately

http://www.economist.com/news/business/21600987-cheap-ubiquitous-and-flexible-fuel-just-one-problem-fuel-future?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/fueloffuture