Coal Continues To Ruin Environment

Coal provides over one third of the world’s energy. It is also the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel, which makes it particularly dangerous to the environment. Yet, the use of coal in the US may rise. Recently, President Donald Trump said, ‘We Have More Coal Than Anybody.’ This was more than a hint that the US should use it. To some extent, that is because new regulation will make it harder to deploy wind energy which was supposed to supplant fossil fuels. And, solar energy interests have reason to believe the new Administration will not be friendly.
*Coal Remain King
The New York Times reports that there are 206 coal energy plants in the US. Coal still powers almost a fifth of America’s electricity. If electricity use were going to be flat, and power from renewables were to continue to rise, coal use (and mining) would naturally shrink.
But, electricity use will surge, and has already begun to. AI server farms are the primary reason for this. And, a meaningful fraction of growth is due to a change in the weather. It was 100 degrees F for 100 days in a row in Phoenix. It snowed in New Orleans last month. These are anecdotal proof of the weather’s drag on electricity (for heating and cooling), but there are many more.
Energy Grids
AI companies claim that they can make their own energy grids and build their own power plants. However, there is no evidence that they can quickly create these entirely with greener energy. To bring all of the electricity use online may well require the use of fossil fuels. AI interests have made it clear they will value growth ahead of the environment.
Twenty three percent of the world’s coal reserves are in the US. Coal mining is a profitable business. Electricity generation in America is growing at the fastest pace in history. No need to say more.
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