EconoFact: “The Costs of Continuing Coal-Fired Power in the United States”
RFF Senior Fellow Bryan Hubbell publishes a memo based on a popular If/Then blog post.
“The use of coal to generate electricity in the United States declined sharply over the past two decades, displaced by natural gas, renewables, and nuclear sources. Until recently, coal generation was expected to continue declining such that carbon dioxide emissions from coal were projected to drop significantly by the early 2030s. However, expected increases in electricity demand—driven by data center growth and climate change—as well as a flurry of policy actions taken by the Trump administration to support coal-fired electricity generation, are slowing or arresting the pace of coal’s decline. While coal is unlikely to go back to making up a major share of US electricity generation, the fuel’s slower or arrested demise is likely to have negative impacts on electricity ratepayers, plant owners, air quality, public health, and climate.”
