IEA: Global Coal Demand Set to Hit Record High as Iran War Chokes LNG Supply

Soaring LNG prices due to the Strait of Hormuz blockage are prompting economies to shift to alternative energy sources, pushing coal demand to a another record high this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a new report on Thursday. The surge in LNG prices have pushed markets including China, India, Japan, South Korea, and even Europe, to rely more on coal-fired capacity for electricity generation, the IEA said in its new Coal Mid-Year Update 2026. The Middle East is not a major exporter of coal, so global coal shipments weren’t…