Coal Surges as Rising Demand Fuels U.S. Energy Shift

Douglas McIntyre, Editor-in-Chief at Climate Crisis 24/7, highlights comments from Peabody Energy’s CEO, John Gresh, who says coal is making a comeback. U.S. coal consumption is projected to rise 7% this year, marking the first increase since 2021. The Energy Information Administration also expects a 9% increase in coal-fired power generation, raising coal’s share of the electricity mix to 17%. McIntyre warns that the rising electricity demand from AI data centers could drive coal use even higher.