European sanctions on Russian coal drive increase in U.S. coal exports to Europe

After the sanctions on Russian coal went into effect in August 2022, Europe turned more to U.S. coal to satisfy its energy needs, U.S. Energy Information Administration data shows.

A report released Thursday by the agency shows U.S. coal exports increased by 5.7 million tons in the year after the European Union’s sanctions went into force. The increase, the EIA stated in the report, was largely due to a 22% jump in exports to Europe.

From August 2022 to July 2023, the U.S. exported 33.1 million tons of coal to Europe, compared with 27.1 million tons during the same period preceding the sanctions.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU, a political and economical organization composed of 27 primarily European nations, imposed a package of sanctions against Russia, which included bans on European imports of Russian coal and natural gas.

After the sanctions went into effect in August 2022, according to the EIA, imports of Russian coal into Europe fell to nearly zero.

The U.S., along with South Africa and Colombia, replaced the coal demand in Europe.

U.S. coal exports to Asia and South America also increased during the period, according to the EIA, but they declined in Africa, Australia, and North America.