Coal Power
Since 1970, energy from coal has become increasingly clean, and we have the technologies to make coal power even cleaner in the future. Demand for power has grown dramatically over the last three decades, and as our society becomes even more technologically driven, the need for power will continue to grow. As the largest source of electricity in the U.S., electricity from coal power plays a crucial role in today's power mix. Electricity from coal must continue to play an important part in our nation's future power supply. The U.S. will face increasing demands for abundant and affordable sources of electricity, and electricity from coal power can meet these needs.

Why Coal Power?
Coal power is affordable. America has abundant domestic reserves of coal. Technology has improved production efficiency, which keeps costs low when using coal power. Coal reserves are dispersed throughout the U.S., which lowers transportation costs. On average, coal power is about one-quarter the cost of natural gas-fired generation (per kWh consumed). In 2000, the 25 lowest cost steam power plants (in terms of cost per MWh of electricity produced) used coal power.

Coal power is increasing clean. The coal industry and the U.S. Department of Energy have developed an innovative partnership to demonstrate and move to market effective technologies to improve the efficiency and reduce the emissions of electricity generation from coal energy.

Coal power is reliable. Access to reliable supplies of coal power at affordable prices has allowed our economy to grow and has improved the quality of life in the United States. In the future, power from other sources will be limited.

Source: US Energy Information Administration (EIA), Annual Energy Review 2000, T.3.4