"The dirtiest fossil fuel is enjoying a renaissance in the U.S., but it could usher in a dark age for the climate.

The nation’s coal-fired power output is expected to surge for the first time in years, the Energy Information Administration said on Monday. By the end of this year, the U.S. will ramp up its coal production by 22%. That marks the first year-over-year uptick since 2014.

U.S. coal use has been in steady decline for years due to rising prices, cheap natural gas and renewables, and, to some extent, concerns about its environmental impact. Even former President Donald Trump, who promised to end the war on coal and rolled back dozens of regulations to benefit the industry, couldn’t fight those market forces.

In 2019, as the cost of fossil gas dropped to record lows, coal usage fell to its lowest level since 1964. The following year, the economic fallout of the covid-19 pandemic dealt the coal sector another heavy blow. Experts predicted it would “never recover.”"

Dharna Noor reports for Earther October 19, 2021. [2]