Table of Contents
Overview 2
Catalyst 2
Summary 2
Russia and China nuclear exports are thriving - both will continue to do so 6
Chinese nuclear power plants are growing global force in power generation 6
China is developing critical interests in the United Kingdom, demonstrating the desire from Beijing to spread to wealthy economies7
Russia is leading exporter of nuclear power technology, enabling new countries to develop networks 8
Efforts to revitalize coal are unlikely to succeed as natural gas expands 10
Coal is in decline as a means of generating power latest US policies are unlikely to change that trend 10
Natural gas fired power plants overtake coal in developed nations 11
Coal power plants are closing as energy providers move elsewhere, leaving way open for natural gas 12
Liquefied Natural Gas playing increasing role in speeding up transition from coal to gas 12
Next generation renewable energy to shake up power grid 14
Solar furnaces are becoming more powerful, creating a new option in renewable energy 14
Tidal and wave power generation moves closer to commercial viability, potentially transforming energy markets 15
Geothermal energy is edging towards mainstream power generation, helping developing countries 16
Mass scale energy storage is becoming commercial reality 17
Tesla battery in South Australia has proven commercial worth it is likely to be replicated elsewhere 17
Battery technology is gaining serious attention in California, suggesting a long-term trend is just beginning 18
Molten salt energy storage is advancing at speed, offering power generation capabilities batteries cannot match 18
Costs of molten salt energy storage are coming down at speed, making the business case for much wider use 19
Despite decline, coal remains important and is becoming more efficient 21
Ultra-supercritical coal finds significant gains in efficiency, slowing decline in usage 21
Coal is in decline but will continue to be the dominant power source 22
Conclusions 24
Power generation industry is entering a challenging period of significant change 24
Appendix 25
Sources 25
Further Reading 25
Ask the analyst 26
About MarketLine 26
Disclaimer 26