Reply #15: Coal is incredibly cheap. Without carbon tax how do you get utilities to stop using coal? [View All]

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You could do a mandate but that is disruptive and can cause price shocks.

A slowly escalating carbon tax would let utilities know that say over next decade goal, oil, natural gas are going to get more expensive. They can plan long term and see nuclear, and wind are cheaper and going to stay cheaper. They will make plans on when/how to shut down coal plants and reduce natural gas usage. Rather than a mandate economic pressure will cause utilities to do "the right thing". Carbon tax aligns economic goals with goals of reducing emissions.