Coal’s Enemies Don’t Care About You

Energy Ventures Analysis, one of the leading energy research firms in the US, warned in their study of 2025 electricity issues: “As this extreme weather event and the others before it have shown, dispatchable, highly reliable generating resources like coal fired power plants are paramount to ensuring reliable and affordable electricity service to electric consumers across the United States”

The negative impacts of closing coal plants in the US are now self-evident, and the worst is yet to come. In the last decade, upwards of 300 coal power plants have ceased operation and coal-based generation has been reduced from 45% of electricity to 16%. (1) Reliability has decreased as there is overwhelming evidence that in virtually every polar vortex or cold event of the last 10 years, coal’s contribution has increased while solar and wind have not only faltered but have often been virtually non-existent. CONTINUE READING ...