All articles tagged with #coal
China’s Liushenyu coal mine disaster toll in Shanxi was revised downward to 82 dead from an earlier figure of 90, with 247 workers underground at the time, 128 injured, and two still unaccounted for. All four mines owned by Shanxi Tongzhou Coal Coking Group have been closed and executives detained as authorities call for safety reforms and order an investigation, making this the deadliest Chinese mining accident since 2009.
A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi’s Qinyuan County, Shanxi Province, China, killed 90 people, according to state media, as rescuers continue to work at the scene.
The Trump administration’s emergency orders to keep five aging coal plants operating beyond closures have cost hundreds of millions, largely borne by ratepayers (e.g., J.H. Campbell in Michigan has about $180 million in expenses since last May). Critics argue the strategy is inefficient and environmentally harmful, while the Energy Department says it safeguards grid reliability; a DC Circuit Court case brought by Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois and environmental groups challenges the orders’ legality. The policy coincides with a rebound in coal use and related emissions, despite health and environmental concerns surrounding coal power.
Chinese researchers led by Xie Heping have developed a zero-carbon-emission direct coal fuel cell (ZC-DCFC) that converts coal’s chemical energy directly into electricity without combustion. The coal is processed and fed to an anode while oxygen is supplied at the cathode; a oxide membrane enables direct oxidation and on-site CO2 capture, which can be turned into synthesis gas or stabilized as bicarbonate. This bypasses steam cycles and turbines, aiming for higher theoretical efficiency by avoiding combustion losses and Carnot limits. Improvements in durability and stack scalability address earlier power-density issues. The concept could even operate underground at deep coal seams, transmitting only electricity upward, potentially easing supply pressures as shallow reserves dwindle.
Renewables became the world’s largest electricity source in 2025, led by a record solar surge and wind gains that pushed coal’s share below one-third for the first time. Fossil-fuel generation still rose with demand, but the clean-power boom is tipping the global power mix away from coal, aided by falling battery costs and EV-driven oil displacement, with Asia remaining the last region where coal still dominates.
West Virginians on fixed incomes are seeing electric bills rise to levels that can exceed mortgage payments, driven by cold winters, expanding data centers, aging infrastructure, and a heavy reliance on coal; despite Trump’s pledge to cut energy costs, bills have climbed nationwide and hit ratepayers hard, raising concerns among voters about relief in the near term.
A deepening conflict in the Persian Gulf has disrupted oil and gas markets and prompted Europe and Asia to turn back to coal as a readily available substitute amid a fresh gas supply crunch, with Asia’s LNG importers—Japan, South Korea and Taiwan—leading the expected rise in coal demand.
Iran's war is disrupting oil and gas supplies and driving up energy prices, prompting a mixed boost for cleaner energy in some regions while keeping coal in play in others. Higher prices could accelerate renewables and EV adoption to hedge against gas spikes, but the outcome remains messy and uneven rather than a straightforward shift to clean energy.
Trump rolled back Biden-era tightening of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard, restoring coal plants to the 2012 rule and potentially exempting the industry from stricter limits. EPA estimates the rollback would save about $78 million annually (2028–2037), while the tighter 2024 standard would have cut mercury emissions about 23% by 2035. Environmental groups vow to appeal, warning that plants could ease pollution controls and monitoring to save money, with potential impacts on public health and grid reliability.
The Environmental Protection Agency weakened pollution limits on coal-fired power plants, allowing higher mercury and other heavy-metal emissions as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to revive the coal industry, despite scientific evidence of health risks and climate concerns. The move, showcased at a Kentucky plant visit, underscores ongoing regulatory shifts affecting public health and fossil fuel policy.
At a pro-coal event, Donald Trump attacked the Tennessee Valley Authority and its newly appointed CEO Don Moul, vowing to personally target him over energy policy and pay as TVA decided to keep operating coal-fired units; Trump noted Moul’s high compensation, comparing it to former CEO Lyash’s $10 million package in 2024, while TVA defended its service to 10 million people and the role of coal in its energy mix.
China added a notable number of coal-fired plants in 2025 even as wind and solar capacity grew, reflecting ongoing concerns about energy security and demand growth that keep coal central to its electricity mix amid a broader renewables expansion.
The Energy Department has ordered five coal-fired plants to stay online and officials say closures will be halted across more units for the next three years, a move aimed at delaying retirements but likely costing billions and provoking debate over energy reliability and climate goals.
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose about 2.4% in 2025 after two years of decline, driven by colder winter heating and higher natural gas prices that boosted coal-fired power; electricity demand from data centers and crypto mining contributed to higher consumption, while solar grew rapidly and transportation emissions stayed flat thanks to EV adoption. The rise complicates long-term decarbonization goals, though forecasts suggest the trajectory could improve with policy and market shifts and reporting changes.
China’s coal-fired power fell 1.6% and India’s by 3% last year—the first declines in both since the 1970s—thanks to a record surge in solar and wind that met rising demand. China added over 300 GW of solar and 100 GW of wind, while India added 35 GW solar, 6 GW wind and 3.5 GW hydro. Together they drove more than 90% of the rise in global carbon emissions from 2015 to 2024, so a sustained fall in coal use could help curb global emissions, though weather and demand variability could reverse gains; the IEA cautions coal may stay near peak until 2027 due to gas prices and other pressures.