Is coal ever coming back?

Coal has not made a full comeback. In 2016, the Energy Information Administration reported that U.S. coal production was at its lowest annual production levels since 1979. U.S. coal production decreased 6.6\% in 2019 to 706.3 million tons from the previous year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

How is coal removed from the environment?

Surface mines (sometimes called strip mines) were the source of about 62\% of the coal mined in the United States in 2019. These mining operations remove the soil and rock above coal deposits, or seams. In this form of coal extraction, the tops of mountains are removed using explosives.

Why is the coal industry dying?

The decline of U.S. coal production in 2020 was largely the result of less demand for coal internationally and less U.S. electric power sector demand for coal. Lower natural gas prices made coal less competitive for power generation. U.S. coal-fired generation fell 20\% from 2019.

Is coal really that bad?

More electricity is produced from coal than from any other energy source, but burning coal comes with significant costs to humanity and the climate. Each year, noxious fumes released from coal-fired power plants cause tens of thousands of premature deaths worldwide.

How do we convert coal to energy?

Coal-fired plants produce electricity by burning coal in a boiler to produce steam. The steam produced, under tremendous pressure, flows into a turbine, which spins a generator to create electricity. The steam is then cooled, condensed back into water and returned to the boiler to start the process over.

Can coal be turned into natural gas?

The main technology being used is coal gasification – instead of burning the fossil fuel, it is chemically transformed into synthetic natural gas (SNG). The process is decades old, but recent rises in the price of gas mean it is now more economically viable.

Why is coal being phased out?

Coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel, therefore phasing it out is critical to limiting climate change and keeping global warming to 1.5 °C as laid out in the Paris Climate Agreement. China is the major provider of public finance for coal projects.