{"id":369211,"date":"2025-03-09T16:53:44","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T15:53:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=369211"},"modified":"2025-03-09T16:53:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-09T15:53:46","slug":"the-coal-fleet-can-underpin-the-energy-abundance-agenda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=369211","title":{"rendered":"The Coal Fleet Can Underpin the Energy Abundance Agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Rich Nolan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. needs more dispatchable electricity\u2014and we need it immediately. Power demand is exploding across the country at the very moment the nation\u2019s grid reliability is teetering on the edge of catastrophe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reshoring of heavy industry and the unprecedented AI-driven data center boom have collided the with the Biden administration\u2019s effort to wipe out the coal fleet and make it impossible to build new baseload coal and natural gas plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Trump is already tackling this crisis. On his first day in office, he declared an energy emergency, issued an \u201cUnleashing American Energy\u201d executive order and has since established the National Energy Dominance Council to refocus the nation\u2019s energy policy. Reliability and affordability have once again taken center stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the challenge facing the administration is enormous. U.S. electricity demand is projected to fully double by 2050 with a remarkable jump in demand already underway. A recent forecast sees demand rising 128 gigawatts (GW) over just the next five years\u2014equivalent to adding 80 million homes to our already overstretched and under-supplied grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the administration looks for reliable, immediately available generating capacity, the underutilized coal fleet is the answer hiding in plain sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Battered by an unrelenting regulatory agenda and unfair competition from heavily subsidized power sources, the coal fleet\u2019s capacity factor \u2013 a measure of how often it\u2019s providing power to the grid \u2013 rests at just 40%. The fleet is capable of much more. It is our strategic electricity reserve waiting for its moment. And that moment is now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much more power can the fleet provide? Consider its performance in critical, high-demand weeks and months. The coal fleet regularly ramps up generation, often reaching capacity factors above 60%. As recently as 2021, there were several months when the fleet had a capacity factor above 65%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With months of fuel on site and the world\u2019s largest coal reserves, the coal fleet is the nation\u2019s ace in the hole to underpin reliability and dispatchable fuel diversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As power demand growth laps efforts to build new generating capacity and energy infrastructure, driving up electricity prices and threatening the economy, greater utilization of what we already have in place is the clear answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Industrial Energy Consumers of America (IECA) \u2013 representing manufacturers with over 12,000 facilities nationwide and more than 1.9 million employees \u2013 have already warned \u201cthe manufacturing sector\u2019s economic growth has never before faced such a growing crisis as we are faced with today, due to inadequate natural gas pipeline capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IECA told Congress gas supply on the East Coast is already so constrained it\u2019s all but impossible for manufacturers to consider expansion of existing operations or investment in new facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semiconductor and battery plants, and even data centers with the energy needs of cities, simply won\u2019t be built if they can\u2019t find affordable energy, leaving untold jobs and tax revenue just sitting on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While reducing barriers and timelines to adding new energy infrastructure is an important piece of the answer, IECA has asked for one critical, difference-making action: \u201cto not prematurely shut down coal-fired electric generating units.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Utilities are already answering the call, cancelling planned coal plant retirements across the country from Georgia to Indiana to Utah and Wyoming. But federal action to not only preserve the fleet but make greater use of it is what is needed in this energy emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Energy abundance is the key to winning today\u2019s global industrial arms race. The world is using more coal than ever before. It is past time the U.S. recognizes its coal fleet and coal mining industry not as problems to solve but as answers to today\u2019s most pressing challenges. The coal fleet can and should underpin the administration\u2019s energy abundance agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rich Nolan is President and CEO of the National Mining Association<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The U.S. needs more dispatchable electricity\u2014and we need it immediately. Power demand is exploding across the country at the very moment the nation\u2019s grid reliability is teetering on the edge of catastrophe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":369213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818336,691819635,691833716,691833715,691830340,691832907,691833487],"class_list":{"0":"post-369211","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-biden-administration","9":"tag-coal","10":"tag-coal-fired-electric","11":"tag-industrial-energy-consumers-of-america-ieca","12":"tag-u-s-electricity","13":"tag-unleashing-american-energy-uae","14":"tag-us-president-donald-j-trump","16":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0680025_6_.jpeg?fit=1440%2C960&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1y31","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":263187,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=263187","url_meta":{"origin":369211,"position":0},"title":"Top U.S. Grid Official Says Fossil Fuel Power Plant Closures Could Have \u201cCatastrophic Consequences\u201d","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"21\/06\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Mark Christie warned of the potential for \u201ccatastrophic consequences\u201d for the reliability of the American power grid if the U.S. does not stop phasing out fossil fuel infrastructure before renewable infrastructure is capable of replacing its output.","rel":"","context":"In \"Blackouts\"","block_context":{"text":"Blackouts","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=blackouts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/0blackouti.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/0blackouti.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, 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Maintaining voltage and frequency within critical defined tolerances is a cinch with conventional generators, like nuclear, gas and coal-fired plants, which deliver the goods, around-the-clock and irrespective of the weather.","rel":"","context":"In \"Blackouts\"","block_context":{"text":"Blackouts","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=blackouts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0-Blackout-47.jpeg?fit=1200%2C941&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0-Blackout-47.jpeg?fit=1200%2C941&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0-Blackout-47.jpeg?fit=1200%2C941&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0-Blackout-47.jpeg?fit=1200%2C941&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0-Blackout-47.jpeg?fit=1200%2C941&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":418961,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=418961","url_meta":{"origin":369211,"position":3},"title":"Why America Might Find Coal in Its Stocking This Christmas \u2014 And Be Jolly","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"28\/12\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The United States is projected to generate more power from coal in 2025 than in 2024, though the resource has endured an assault from the executive branch, green groups and Congress in recent years.","rel":"","context":"In \"Blackouts\"","block_context":{"text":"Blackouts","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=blackouts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQOE7PFDmLwCN6w8Yj_swlCrOpe32XLQLyrUb9Tv384JW6WAu1B5dMS4u8TbFBlgavlHYoZjr8U0JEQuMMJaYjpBDwJjbWlW6GZnOqR2p_-BM8EyuA_583ExuagzE1UV3j3Uf5NFERcEXUZA7PfaTPplWjgb4g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQOE7PFDmLwCN6w8Yj_swlCrOpe32XLQLyrUb9Tv384JW6WAu1B5dMS4u8TbFBlgavlHYoZjr8U0JEQuMMJaYjpBDwJjbWlW6GZnOqR2p_-BM8EyuA_583ExuagzE1UV3j3Uf5NFERcEXUZA7PfaTPplWjgb4g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQOE7PFDmLwCN6w8Yj_swlCrOpe32XLQLyrUb9Tv384JW6WAu1B5dMS4u8TbFBlgavlHYoZjr8U0JEQuMMJaYjpBDwJjbWlW6GZnOqR2p_-BM8EyuA_583ExuagzE1UV3j3Uf5NFERcEXUZA7PfaTPplWjgb4g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQOE7PFDmLwCN6w8Yj_swlCrOpe32XLQLyrUb9Tv384JW6WAu1B5dMS4u8TbFBlgavlHYoZjr8U0JEQuMMJaYjpBDwJjbWlW6GZnOqR2p_-BM8EyuA_583ExuagzE1UV3j3Uf5NFERcEXUZA7PfaTPplWjgb4g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQOE7PFDmLwCN6w8Yj_swlCrOpe32XLQLyrUb9Tv384JW6WAu1B5dMS4u8TbFBlgavlHYoZjr8U0JEQuMMJaYjpBDwJjbWlW6GZnOqR2p_-BM8EyuA_583ExuagzE1UV3j3Uf5NFERcEXUZA7PfaTPplWjgb4g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":263224,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=263224","url_meta":{"origin":369211,"position":4},"title":"Wind Dependency: Get Ready For\u00a0Blackouts","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"21\/06\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"You can\u2019t replace reliable energy (coal, nuclear, natural gas) with unreliable energy that most of the time produces nothing (wind and solar). 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