Trump Says He’s Authorizing Use of Coal For Energy Production

The Trump Administration’s rollbacks on green energy

Donald Trump announced plans this week to boost the use of coal power. He hopes this would counter China’s economic growth. Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. coal industry was being “held captive.” He blamed “environmental extremists” for this situation. Trump argued that this had let China gain an edge over the U.S.. China, he noted, had opened many coal-fired power plants. China’s construction of coal-fired power plants reached its highest level in a decade last year, according to a report by the Finland-based Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air released on Feb. 13. The report states that China constructed 94.5 gigawatts of coal-fired power plants last year, the highest volume of new builds since 2015.

Trump said he would authorize his administration to act. He wants to “immediately begin producing energy with BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN COAL.” He didn’t share details on how this would work just yet. Environmental groups have long opposed coal power due to pollution claiming that burning coal releases harmful pollutants. Increasing U.S. coal production could create jobs. Trump’s focus on “clean coal” could suggest to some a focus on carbon capture technologies. These technologies aim to reduce emissions from coal plants. Trump’s pledge signals a return to policies favouring fossil fuels. The move would mark a major reversal in U.S. environmental policy, as the country has shifted away from coal, which was its primary fuel for electricity generation in the 2000s, toward lower-cost alternatives such as natural gas and renewable energy. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration as of 2023, coal made up about…read more