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Economy
In reply to the discussion: STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Friday, 10 August 2012 [View all]Demeter
(85,373 posts)35. The decline of U.S. coal, in three charts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/31/the-decline-of-u-s-coal-in-three-charts/
Coal has been the most popular way to generate electricity in America for as long as electricity has been around. For decades, coals top spot seemed unassailable. But thats all changing, incredibly rapidly. For a variety of reasons from the advent of cheap natural gas from fracking to new EPA rules on air pollution coal plants across the United States are shutting down. The older, dirtier plants especially are no longer economical.
A recent report from the Energy Information Administration found that U.S. plant owners and operators are getting ready to retire 27 gigawatts worth of coal generation, or about 8.5 percent of the coal fleet, between now and 2016. Heres a map showing where plants are closing the mid-Atlantic region will see the biggest shift:
And thats just the beginning. On Tuesday, the EIA came out with a brand-new analysis projecting that the United States will probably see a full 17 percent of the coal fleet retired between now and 2020. This prediction depends on a few assumptions. If natural gas from shale gets more expensive (which is quite possible), then well see relatively fewer retirements though still about 40 gigawatts worth. Likewise, if U.S. economic growth is exceptionally high, then rising electricity demand might help keep some of the older coal plants open for business:
The end result is that natural gas is now tied with coal as Americas top source of electricity with each fuel now providing 32 percent of the nations power. As Alexis Madrigal observes, the U.S. power sector is undergoing the fastest, largest change in American history:
MORE
Coal has been the most popular way to generate electricity in America for as long as electricity has been around. For decades, coals top spot seemed unassailable. But thats all changing, incredibly rapidly. For a variety of reasons from the advent of cheap natural gas from fracking to new EPA rules on air pollution coal plants across the United States are shutting down. The older, dirtier plants especially are no longer economical.
A recent report from the Energy Information Administration found that U.S. plant owners and operators are getting ready to retire 27 gigawatts worth of coal generation, or about 8.5 percent of the coal fleet, between now and 2016. Heres a map showing where plants are closing the mid-Atlantic region will see the biggest shift:
And thats just the beginning. On Tuesday, the EIA came out with a brand-new analysis projecting that the United States will probably see a full 17 percent of the coal fleet retired between now and 2020. This prediction depends on a few assumptions. If natural gas from shale gets more expensive (which is quite possible), then well see relatively fewer retirements though still about 40 gigawatts worth. Likewise, if U.S. economic growth is exceptionally high, then rising electricity demand might help keep some of the older coal plants open for business:
The end result is that natural gas is now tied with coal as Americas top source of electricity with each fuel now providing 32 percent of the nations power. As Alexis Madrigal observes, the U.S. power sector is undergoing the fastest, largest change in American history:
MORE
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