Energy experts give Trump the hard truth: You cant bring coal back

[kpete]

Coal wasn’t killed by a political “war” — cheap renewables and fracked gas were the culprits

...........

In a world of flat demand, the electricity market is a ruthless game of musical chairs — where the slowest and most unwieldy power sources keep losing their seat.

Coal power is just too costly and inflexible, explains BNEF: “Super-low-cost renewable power — what we are now calling ‘base-cost renewables’ — is going to force a revolution in the way power grids are designed, and the way they are regulated.”

When you add the revolution in cheap fracked gas — which Trump has pledged to double down on — it’s no surprise the country shut down over 40 gigawatts of coal-fired power stations since 2000. “These will not reopen whatever anything President Trump does,” explains BNEF, “nor do we see much appetite among investors for ploughing money into U.S. coal extraction — stranded asset risk will trump rhetoric.”

Indeed, coal’s woes are not merely being driven by a collapse in the economic case here. It’s also being driven by a collapse in the export market, as countries from Europe to Asia also move away from coal because of its economic and human cost. Coal pollution is killing people and destroying the climate.

BNEF lists what’s going on:

In the U.K., coal-firing shrunk to a minuscule 3.6 percent of total electricity production in the third quarter of 2016
Other European countries are finally — and belatedly — turning their attention to forcing the early retirement of coal plants.
China has just announced the suspension of plans for 100 new coal plants, including ones whose construction has already begun
India’s Electricity Central Electricity Authority has said that after the current crop of coal-fired power stations under construction are completed, the country will need no new ones until 2027.

the rest:
https://thinkprogress.org/coal-wont-rebound-whatever-president-trump-does-energy-experts-say-e30a78745b77#.ya3rm89l1

[femmocrat]

1. We tried to tell them.....

sigh......

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. "stranded asset risk will trump rhetoric."

I see what they did there.

[tanyev]

3. Not even if he throws a yuge, tremendous, bigly temper tantrum?

[essaynnc]

4. Who is the BNEF? Why would he listen to them ??

[roamer65]

5. None of these jobs are coming back.

Automation is guaranteeing it. China will even see employment problems in the future.

[flygal]

6. oh shit - wait till they find out in Kentucky they was had!

Even Montana refused a coal plant in the Highwood Mountains. duh. I just hope they all remember how much the republicans lied to them.

But then again, guns...abortion.... and basically democrats are evil... they'll keep voting republican. sigh.

[TrekLuver]

7. And now they can lose their healthcare too. More misery must befall on this people so they

can get it through their own head what a terrible mistake they have made.

[Squinch]

8. Really now, who didn't know this?

[Starry Messenger]

9. Duh.