Asean is the world's energy center, because this region is the world's granary and exporter of coal. Coal is currently still the world's largest energy source. The use of coal is as a source of electrical energy and industrial fuel. Coal alone supplied about 27% of the world's total energy in 2019, based on data from the International Energy Agency (IEA). As for the world's power generation needs, coal contributed 36% in 2019, becoming the largest among other energies. The growing global demand for coal goes hand in hand with the production of 'black gold' in Asean. Based on the BP Statistical Review 2022, global coal demand grew by 1.5 billion tons from 2011 to 2021, to 8.2 billion tons in the last period. ASEAN alone contributes about 10% of total global coal production. Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam became the largest producers in ASEAN at 563.7 million tons, 13.3 million tons and 48.4 million tons, respectively.
Indonesia's coal affairs are the leader in Asean in the global market. Indonesia has an export market of 25.6% and is the second largest in the world. Coal is one of the commodities that contributes greatly to Indonesia's income. Because coal is the mainstay export that provides the largest foreign exchange for Indonesia. World coal demand in the future will shrink because it is replaced by new renewable energy. However, coal will still be an alternative energy source when certain conditions such as gas prices skyrocket or energy scarcity due to geopolitical conflicts. This has already happened as in European countries that are again using coal as a source of electricity generation. So that there will still be opportunities for demand and can increase foreign exchange. At a time when energy prices soar like 2022, energy security is needed to maintain the stability of society and the country. Especially from inflation, manufacturing slowdown, and sluggish economic growth. ASEAN, which is then able to become the world's coal axis, becomes an important capital to realize the vision of the center of world economic growth.
