President Trump declared an emergency of national energy on the first day of his inauguration, and said that coal could be a new source of fuel on Thursday.
He has announced a plan to issue an emergency declaration to build a power plant to meet the expected increase in the power demand of artificial intelligence.
“They can use it as fuel they want, and they may have coal as a backup -good, beautiful coal,” and the annual world economic forum held in Davos, Switzerland. I mentioned in a virtual appearance. He added that if the gas and oil pipeline “blown off”, coal can be used as a backup energy source.
“We have more coal than anyone,” said Trump. “We have more oil and gas than anyone.”
The United States is the world's largest oil and natural gas producer, and is largest to coal reserves than any other country, but is the fourth coal producer after China, India and Indonesia.
However, due to coal -like fossil fuels, the United States has become one of the largest emitter for greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, and drives the planet irreplaceable and drives global climate change. did.
Despite Mr. Trump's story about the construction of a coal factory, the United States has recently significantly reduced coal generation. Most of the decline was that natural gas, and now the sun and wind -like renewable energy are inexpensive energy sources. A 2023 survey showed that 99 % of the US coal factories were more expensive to run rather than a rehabilitation alternative.
By 2023, the 206 coal factory remaining in the United States has been supplied by about 16 % of the national power, far below natural gas, and both renewable energy and nuclear power.
According to data edited by the Energy Information Bureau in October 2024, almost one -quarter of the current coal generation will retire. These reductions exceed 51 coal plants.
These retirement pace was late last year, but energy demand increased. According to data compiled by RMI, a non -profit organization that focuses on energy research, the public interest business is expected to increase by 20 % by 2035.
Experts said that increased power use was expected under the transition of clean energy, and the production of coal did not need to be satisfied.
“Utilities skip the steps, manufacture, on -shelling, demand growth from data centers, or AI, if they are actually one of the most expensive ones, they must be filled with coal. David Pomelanz, an executive director of a research and advocacy organization, is asked to rely on that.
However, industry groups stated under Trump that it could increase coal exports and build small coal factories.
“The new administration has a optimistic feeling,” said Emily Arsan, the highest executive officer of the United States Coal Council.
The coal industry could experience a small prosperity under Trump, but experts said that coal was too expensive and too expensive to come back.
“The coal is fundamentally unfinished,” said Sean Oriery, a senior researcher of the energy think tank, Ohioolar Valley Institute. “Most of the needs that are not filled with wind, sunlight, or battery storage are filled with natural gas. Coal is the fourth resource in the mix.”
The Trump administration's unwavering commitment to fossil fuels can hinder the country's competitiveness in the transition of energy.
China dominates the United States in almost every aspect of clean energy, and the production of fossil fuels has reached the historical and low in the European Union. According to a new report from EMBER, an energy think tank, last year, solar piglets draw out coal for the first time and overtake both coal and gas.