MONEYWEB app instead? The dirtiest of fuels theyâre racing to phase out is enjoying booming demand. By David Stringer and Dan Murtaugh, Bloomberg 3 Jul 2021 00:48 Image: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg Coal prices across Asia are surging to records, underscoring a challenge for governments seeking a faster energy transition: the dirtiest of fuels theyâre racing to phase out is enjoying booming demand. Power plants are rushing to secure adequate electricity supplies as a hot summer adds to demand from the regionâs post-pandemic industrial revival. On top of that, output in some key producer nations has been hurt, while high natural gas costs mean thereâs no cheaper alternative for utilities to turn to.