S&P Global Market Intelligence ($):

Major indicators of coal power capacity growth fell by double digits in 2017 for the second year in a row, according to a new report by environmental advocates — and if those trends continue, yearly retirements will exceed new capacity by 2022.

Newly completed coal-fired plants declined 28% year over year in 2017, while construction starts fell 29%, preconstruction activity declined 22% and construction activity decreased by 23%.

The joint report produced by Greenpeace, the Sierra Club and CoalSwarm also found that global retirements during the year exceeded 25,000 MW. Total global operating capacity as of January was 2,000 GW.

The decline in construction activity and increasing coal plant retirements globally were largely attributed to “central government restrictions in China and declining financial and policy support in India,” as well as decreasing capacity in the rest of the world.

More ($): Global coal fleet on pace to start shrinking by 2022, green groups say