Coal Provides a Better Quality of Life
Coal has consistently proven to be the most affordable method of providing electricity in developing areas. Research has shown that better access to electricity leads to increased life expectancy, better schools leading to higher literacy rates, and improved health due to better access to clean drinking water and food sources. Over one billion people worldwide are currently without electricity. Affordable solutions to these problems are a necessity, and coal has consistently proven to be the most affordable method of providing electricity in developing areas.
Coal: Fuel for Economic Growth
Coal is the cornerstone of electricity generation in the United States, supplying approximately 30 percent of the nation's electricity in 2016. Like U.S. consumers, Alliance is committed to coal because it serves as a reliable and affordable source of energy and provides the fuel for America's economic growth. Below you will find some of the reasons for that commitment.
Coal is affordable. Coal is consistently the most affordable fossil fuel and significantly cheaper than alternative sources of energy. As a result, states that rely more heavily on coal typically provide their citizens with a lower retail price for electricity. There are currently 22 states that generate less than 8% of their electricity from coal; these states pay over 24% more than the national average per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. States that generate 70% of their electricity from coal pay 13% less than the national average per kWh.
Coal is abundant. According to the EIA,
the U.S. has the largest recoverable coal reserves in the world. The U.S is capable
of meeting domestic demand for coal for roughly 280 years.
Coal is crucial. Coal provides at least
half of the electricity to 15 states and at least one quarter in 28 states.
Coal isn't going away. The Energy Information
Administration (EIA) projects coal to provide 33.4% of U.S. electricity through
2017. The EIA's 2015 Annual Energy Outlook projects coal to remain
the dominant fuel for electricity generation in the United Stated through 2040.
As of December 2015, there were 1,042 coal-fired electric generating units, representing
approximately 285,000 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity, in service.
Coal is technology-driven. Today,
over 90% of U.S coal-fired electric generating capacity has installed advanced air
pollution controls to reduce emissions. Technological advances are also made
every day to make coal safer and more productive.
The United States’ energy future is filled with potential, and coal is at the very core of both this potential and the nation itself.
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