Economics of the International Coal Trade - Why Coal Continues to Power the World

This book is the 2nd edition of the Economics of the International Coal Trade. Coal is the single most important source of power on our planet and today accounts for 40% of electricity generation and 30% of primary energy.  The world's appetite for energy is still far from being met. Until 2050, an additional 6+ billion people will require accessto proper power. "Why Coal Continues to Power the World" introduces the reader to the global coal business; its importance; its source; its global demand, supply and trade; its use; its environmental impact; and its future. Despite recent price hikes, coal does not appear to be a popular subject today, which may explain the little attention it receives in the scientific community. Since writing the first edition during the commodity super cycle in 2006-2008, the world has changed. How has this impacted the global world of coal? This book is useful to energy economists, businessmen, politicians, university professors, high school teachers, students and anyone with an interest in how the world is powered. It is also helpful to anyone studying climate change and global warming.
This new edition of the book includes previously not covered special sections on:* Coal analysis and sampling with a special section on moisture
* A technical summary of all key coking coal characteristics in Appendix 2

* Coking coal, iron ore and the steel industry

* Cement and petcoke markets

* Global gas markets and the shale gas revolution in the US

* Nuclear energy and the history of the oil market

* Renewable energy and the German "Energiewende"

* Power plant technology and CO2 sequestration and processing

* The role of CO2 and why man-made CO2 does not cause global warming

Apart from giving an in-depth overview of the globalcoal business, in this book the author argues that coal is far from "dead". Some of my key messages are contrary to popular beliefs: 

1. The importance of coal will further increase in absolute and likely even in relative terms for decades to come. 
   
2. Man-made CO2 has no effect on global temperatures and combustion of fossil fuels does not influence the weather. 
   
3. We cannot stop the advance of coal, we can only make this process as environmentally sustainable as humanly possible. 
   

Therefore, mankind needs to embrace coal as the "bridge" from the Oil Age to the Solar Age (through the "New Energy Revolution"). (4) Industrialized nations have to invest in coal and in all means to more efficiently burn coal in order to truly help the global environment and reduce global dust, SOX, and NOX emissions.

List of contents

Executive Summary.- Introduction.- Source of Coal.- Use of Coal.- Regional Analysis of Global Steam Coal Demand and Supply.- Freight and Logistics.- Global Coal Trade - Derivatives, Price Drivers and More.- Environment - CO2 and Coal, Geopolitics and Policy.- Conclusions, Implications and the Future of Coal.- Appendices.

About the author

Dr. Lars Schernikau has extensive knowledge and experience in the coal and energy sector. He is a co-founder/shareholder of HMS Bergbau AG and IchorCoal N.V., German publicly listed international commodity trading, logistics and mining companies. Dr. Schernikau has founded, worked for, and advised a number of companies in the coal and energy sector in Europe, Asia and Southern Africa. Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, he studied at New York University (BSs in Finance and International Business) and INSEAD in France (MBA) before gaining his doctoral degree from the Department of Energy Systems at the Technische Universität Berlin. Today, he regularly speaks at major coal and energy conferences and workshops around the world. Before getting involved in the coal and commodity trade, he worked as Project Manager for The Boston Consulting Group in the US and Germany. Dr. Schernikau is married with four children.

Summary

This book is the 2nd edition of the Economics of the International Coal Trade. Coal is the single most important source of power on our planet and today accounts for 40% of electricity generation and 30% of primary energy.  The world’s appetite for energy is still far from being met. Until 2050, an additional 6+ billion people will require accessto proper power. “Why Coal Continues to Power the World” introduces the reader to the global coal business; its importance; its source; its global demand, supply and trade; its use; its environmental impact; and its future. Despite recent price hikes, coal does not appear to be a popular subject today, which may explain the little attention it receives in the scientific community. Since writing the first edition during the commodity super cycle in 2006–2008, the world has changed. How has this impacted the global world of coal? This book is useful to energy economists, businessmen, politicians, university professors, high school teachers, students and anyone with an interest in how the world is powered. It is also helpful to anyone studying climate change and global warming.
This new edition of the book includes previously not covered special sections on:* Coal analysis and sampling with a special section on moisture
* A technical summary of all key coking coal characteristics in Appendix 2

* Coking coal, iron ore and the steel industry

* Cement and petcoke markets

* Global gas markets and the shale gas revolution in the US

* Nuclear energy and the history of the oil market

* Renewable energy and the German „Energiewende“

* Power plant technology and CO2 sequestration and processing

* The role of CO2 and why man-made CO2 does not cause global warming

Apart from giving an in-depth overview of the globalcoal business, in this book the author argues that coal is far from “dead”. Some of my key messages are contrary to popular beliefs: 

1. The importance of coal will further increase in absolute and likely even in relative terms for decades to come. 
   
2. Man-made CO2 has no effect on global temperatures and combustion of fossil fuels does not influence the weather. 
   
3. We cannot stop the advance of coal, we can only make this process as environmentally sustainable as humanly possible. 
   

Therefore, mankind needs to embrace coal as the “bridge” from the Oil Age to the Solar Age (through the “New Energy Revolution”). (4) Industrialized nations have to invest in coal and in all means to more efficiently burn coal in order to truly help the global environment and reduce global dust, SOX, and NOX emissions.

Product details

• Authors: Lars Schernikau
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2018
• EAN: 9783319835426
• ISBN: 978-3-31-983542-6
• No. of pages: 463
• Dimensions: 160 mm x 237 mm x 27 mm
• Weight: 841 g
• Illustrations: XXXIV, 463 p. 216 illus., 214 illus. in color.
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; B, Climate Change, Economic Geography, geology, Earth and Environmental Science, Geology, geomorphology & the lithosphere, Meteorology and climatology, Earth Sciences, Earth System Sciences, Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts, Fossil Fuels (incl. Carbon Capture), Fossil fuel technologies, Fossil fuels, Fossil Fuel