President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday aimed at bolstering the struggling coal industry by designating coal as a critical mineral. The measure will require several coal-fired power plants scheduled to close to remain operational, framing the move as crucial to supporting the expanding electricity demand from rapidly growing data centers.
Despite the administration’s efforts, industry analysts remain skeptical that the directive can halt coal’s prolonged decline. Since peaking in 2007, coal consumption in the United States has fallen substantially—coal accounted for 51% of the nation’s electricity in 2001 but now generates roughly 15%. The primary drivers behind this sustained decline are economic, with inexpensive natural gas and increasingly cost-competitive renewable energy sources like wind and solar undercutting coal’s viability in electricity markets.
Coal remains the most carbon-intensive energy source, emitting more carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour generated than any other fossil fuel. Additionally, coal power plants release pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, fine particulates, and mercury. These emissions contribute significantly to environmental issues including acid rain and ozone formation, as well as health impacts like respiratory illnesses, heart disease, neurological disorders, and developmental impairments.
The administration might find more traction in classifying metallurgical coal—which is still widely used in steelmaking—as a critical mineral. Although cleaner “green steel” technologies are gaining ground, traditional coal-based methods remain cheaper, maintaining popularity in the steel industry.
In the energy market, however, coal’s future remains uncertain. While some coal-fired plants might temporarily benefit from the new directive, their operational costs continue to be higher compared to new renewable projects, which can also be built quicker. According to market assessments, nearly all existing U.S. coal power plants are more costly to operate than building equivalent wind and solar facilities from scratch.
Given these economic realities, analysts predict the executive order will do little to reverse coal’s long-term decline, despite its symbolic or short-term impacts.
