Executive Orders Aim to Revive Coal Use in Power Plants
President Trump last week issued executive orders designed to revive the use of coal in power plants, a practice that has been steadily declining for more than a decade.
Why Coal Use Has Declined
Once the primary source of electricity in the United States, coal plants now produce just 17 percent of the nation’s power. The main reason is that natural gas, another fossil fuel, became abundant and cheap because of the shale fracking boom that began in the early 2000s. Use of renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, has also grown a lot.
Current Energy Mix
Natural gas now provides about 38 percent of U.S. electricity, according to the Energy Information Administration. Renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power produce about 25 percent, and nuclear energy generates about 20 percent.
Coal’s Declining Use
Some regions, like New England, are scheduled to shut down their last coal power plants soon. The most populous state in the country, California, uses virtually no coal for electricity generation.
Environmental Concerns
Coal has also been under pressure because burning it releases greenhouses gases responsible for climate change and pollutants that harm people and nature. To get around those concerns, Mr. Trump said, he will waive certain air-pollution restrictions for dozens of coal plants.
Where Coal is Still Used
In the Southeast and the Midwest, many utilities continue to generate electricity from coal plants. Companies such as Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Duke Energy, and the Tennessee Valley Authority — the nation’s largest government-run power provider — are among the largest users of coal.
States that have a long history of coal mining are still very reliant on the fuel. They include West Virginia, which got 85 percent of its electricity from coal last year, and Kentucky, which got 67 percent, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Can the Trump Administration Revive Coal?
While federal policies can play a role, utilities and the state lawmakers and regulators that oversee them ultimately determine how much coal is burned in power plants.
The Edison Electric Institute, or E.E.I., a utility trade association, said in a statement that it agreed with the administration that the United States needed more sources of electricity, but it declined to speak for or against the use of coal.
Some large utilities, like Xcel Energy, have been converting coal plants to solar farms, in part to take advantage of federal incentives created during the Biden administration.
Environmental Activists’ Response
Environmental activists said efforts to revive coal were misguided. They point out that states that use more coal tend to have higher electricity bills, more health problems, and greater risk of power plant failures because of aging equipment.
“We’re really reversing decades of work here,” said Holly Bender, chief program officer at the Sierra Club, which has run a campaign called Beyond Coal to end the use of that fuel. “It’s obvious that Trump is trying to put his finger on the scale to keep coal open. But these are pieces of infrastructure that are at the end of their useful life.”
Conclusion
The Trump administration’s efforts to revive coal use in power plants may face significant challenges due to the decline of coal as a primary source of electricity and the growing use of renewable energy sources.
FAQs
Q: Why has coal use declined in the United States?
A: Coal use has declined due to the rise of natural gas and renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.
Q: Where is coal still used in the United States?
A: Coal is still used in the Southeast and the Midwest, particularly in states with a long history of coal mining such as West Virginia and Kentucky.
Q: Can the Trump administration revive coal use?
A: While federal policies can play a role, utilities and state lawmakers and regulators ultimately determine how much coal is burned in power plants.
Q: What are the environmental concerns associated with coal use?
A: Burning coal releases greenhouse gases responsible for climate change and pollutants that harm people and nature.
Q: What are the challenges facing coal plants?
A: Many coal plants are old and would need extensive and expensive upgrades to continue running, and they often cannot compete with the cost of cleaner alternatives.
