The headwinds for coal are coming from every direction. Since 2010, more than 250 coal plants in America have been shuttered, or are set to close. Meanwhile, in the most energy-hungry regions of the world, thousands of megawatts' worth of new coal plants have been halted.
This week, we’re covering the struggles of coal from a few different angles.
First, the steady drumbeat of plant closures in the U.S. What has caused them, and what comes next? We’ll talk about the just-announced closure of the Navajo Generating Station -- the biggest coal plant in the West -- and why it encompasses all the complicated factors around the transition away from coal.
Then, it's clean coal redux. As billions of dollars in cost overruns mount at America’s first commercial carbon-capture plant, the coal industry looks to the White House for more support.
And finally, the international picture. Coal is still the dominant source of generation around the world, but new build-outs are slowing in key countries. Can we say that peak coal has arrived?
Our guest co-host this week is Mary Anne Hitt, the director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign. She also co-hosts a climate podcast called No Place Like Home.
This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service.