Why Coal Remains King: The Ongoing Struggle for Clean Energy Amidst Rising Demand

Doug McIntyre, editor-in-chief of Climate Crisis 247, underscores the continued dominance of coal in U.S. energy production, where it generates over two-thirds of the nation’s electricity. Despite its status as the dirtiest fuel, coal remains cheap and abundant, outpacing the development of cleaner alternatives like solar and wind, which are costly and challenging to finance. This reliance on coal contributes to significant air pollution and health issues, a problem exacerbated in major coal-dependent countries like India and China. With crude oil prices remaining attractive and new technologies like artificial intelligence and Bitcoin driving up electricity demand, the use of coal is likely to increase. McIntyre highlights the urgent need for energy, emphasizing that the current pace of alternative energy development is insufficient to meet demand, leaving coal as the primary, albeit problematic, solution.