Biggest Power Demand Plunge Since Great Depression Is Reshaping Markets

Biggest Power Demand Plunge Since Great Depression Is Reshaping Markets

Slowdown is squeezing coal, buoying renewables and foreshadowing "grid of the future". Lower demand is pitting generators against each other in a fight to produce the cheapest power possible.. As coal and oil use ebb, energy emissions are set to drop by a record 8% this year, according to the IEA.. While wind and solar are producing a larger share of power, they're not unscathed.. Some of the steepest drops in electricity consumption will be in Europe, where 2020 demand is forecast to fall 8%, according to the IEA.. Electricite de France SA warned low demand will mean output from its nuclear reactors will fall by more than a fifth this year..