In 2010, coal-fired power plants generated 50 percent of US electricity. Last year, coal plants were responsible for only about 20 percent. That’s good news for public health and the climate, but bad news for coal miners and coal-fired power plant workers, as well as the places where they live and w
Ask a Scientist: What Can We Do to Help Displaced Coal Workers?
Elliott Negin, senior writer | May 10, 2021, 11:15 am EDT This post is a part of a series on
Despite the Trump administration’s attempts to preserve the coal industry, mining jobs hit a record low during his term. There were nearly 90,000 people working in the industry in 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In January, there were 42,400.
That’s not a surprise. Over the last decade, demand for coal has dropped precipitously, largely due to the availability of cheap natural gas, the dramatic drop in the cost of renewables, and flat demand for electricity. In 2010, coal-fired power plants generated 50 percent of US electricity. Last year, coal plants were responsible for only about 20 percent. The Biden administration’s goals for cutting carbon emissions will no doubt further accelerate the industry�
How to Support our Energy Veterans Señor Codo/Creative Commons (Flickr)
How to Support our Energy Veterans
Jeremy Richardson, senior energy analyst | May 4, 2021, 6:00 am EDT
As climate advocates, we support the shift away from coal and toward cleaner forms of energy, pointing out the reasons that we need to accelerate that trend. While the move away from coal helps reduce heat trapping emissions and improves public health, the closure of coal mines and coal-fired power plants often leave economic upheaval in their wake.
Just take a look at Adams County, Ohio, which in 2018 faced the closure of two coal-fired power plants, by far the largest employer in the county. Community leaders faced a sharp drop in tax revenue, and individual workers suddenly had to figure out how to provide for their families while staying in the communities they called home. The people harmed by the upheaval are the very men and women e