Coal is still important as America’s energy needs soar | Syd Peng Aug 8, 2025 Aug 8, 2025 Updated Aug 31, 2025 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Coal isn’t disappearing. Its use globally hit a record last year. Since the turn of the century, coal demand has doubled. Syd Peng kAm%96 H@C=5 ?665D 2 ?6H A@=:E:42= 5:D4@FCD6 @? 4@2=] %9:D :D ?@E 2 7F6= E92E :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 A92D65 @FE @C 2 E649?@=@8J =67E 369:?5] xEVD :>A@CE2?E 7@C 6?6C8J D64FC:EJ 2?5 277@C523:=:EJ] k^AmkAm%96 :562 E92E E96 (6DE H@F=5 =625 E96 56G6=@A:?8 H@C=5 2H2J 7C@> 4@2= :D >:D8F:565] tFC@A6’D 2EE6>AE65 52D9 E@ C6?6H23=6 A@H6C 92D =67E :E 6?6C8J :?D64FC6 2?5 9@>6 E@ 9:89 6=64EC:4:EJ AC:46D] (9:=6 tFC@A6 DECF88=6D H:E9 56:?5FDEC:2=:K2E:@?[ pD:2 :D =62?:?8 @? 4@2= E@ E24<=6 6?6C8J A@G6CEJ 2?5 :?5FDEC:2=:K6] }@H96C6 :D E92E ECF6C E92? :? r9:?2]k^Am People are also reading… Iowa women’s basketball head coach Jan Jensen teases more transfer portal additions for Hawkeyes Iowa State's 2027 recruiting class ranks No. 1 after Donovan Davis commitment She narrowly survived hantavirus 30 years ago. 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E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[ F?56CA:??:?8 2 5:G6CD6 2?5 32=2?465 6?6C8J >:I E@ >66E 8C@H:?8 56>2?5 7@C 6=64EC:4:EJ 7C@> 52E2 46?E6CD[ 6=64EC:4 42CD 2?5 962E AF>AD] k^Am kA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?6HD]=66]?6E^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^`4aa_a6h\_ef5\c2eb\2ge2\`3_6`633cg6gQmr@2= :D 5J:?8 3642FD6 :E 4@DED >@C6[ CF:?D 4=:>2E6 M y6??J #@H=2?5\$962k^2mk^Am kAm%96 C2A:5 25@AE:@? @7 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 2?5 E96 8C@HE9 @7 52E2 46?E6CD 2C6 AC@;64E65 E@ 5C2>2E:42==J :?4C62D6 &]$] 6=64EC:4:EJ 56>2?5] (:E9 56>2?5 D<JC@4<6E:?8[ 2?5 :>>6?D6 2?5 A6CD:DE6?E 492==6?86D 724:?8 255:E:@?D @7 ?6H 32D6=@25 A@H6C 86?6C2E:@?[ E96 A@H6C A=2?ED 2=C625J 4@??64E65 E@ E96 8C:5 H:== 36 4C:E:42=] %96 6I:DE:?8 4@2= 7=66E[ H:E9 86?6C2E:?8 42A24:EJ E@ DA2C6[ >2J H6== 36 E96 =J?49A:? E@ 2==@H:?8 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D E@ H:? E96 px C246 \\ 2 C246 r9:?2 :D CF??:?8 @? 4@2=] k^Am kAmr@2= :D 96C6 E@ DE2J] xE’D 72C A2DE E:>6 H6 A=2? 7@C :E] p=@?8 H:E9 >2<:?8 72C 36EE6C FD6 @7 @FC 6I:DE:?8 4@2= 7=66E[ H6 >FDE 2=D@ A:@?66C 25G2?465 4@2= E649?@=@8J]k^Am kAm|@C6 677:4:6?E[ 7=6I:3=6 2?5 =@H6C\6>:DD:@? 4@2= A=2?ED 2C6 E96 7FEFC6] (6 D9@F=5 36 >@56=:?8 2?5 3F:=5:?8 E96> 96C6] (:E9 &]$] 6=64EC:4:EJ 56>2?5 D@2C:?8[ H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ ?665 2? 2==\@7\23@G6 2AAC@249 E@ 277@C523=J 2?5 C6=:23=J] (:E9 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 2D E96 9@>6 @7 =2C86 4@2= C6D6CG6D[ :E H@F=5 36 6?6C8J A@=:4J >2=AC24E:46 ?@E E@ >2<6 25G2?465 4@2= E649?@=@8J 2 46?E6CA:646 @7 E96 677@CE]k^Am Peng is a professor emeritus in mining engineering at West Virginia University. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. 0 Comments Related to this story Coal is dying because it costs more, ruins climate | Jenny Rowland-Shea Coal has been on the way out for a decade now. The industry’s future was considered mainly dead and buried — until the Trump administration de…
Coal is dying because it costs more, ruins climate | Jenny Rowland-Shea Coal has been on the way out for a decade now. The industry’s future was considered mainly dead and buried — until the Trump administration de…