The Biden Administration is advancing its environmental objectives by pledging that the United States will not construct any new coal plants and will gradually eliminate existing ones. U.S. Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry made this announcement at the annual United Nations climate summit, COP28, held in Dubai, though no specific timeline was provided for the shutdown of current plants. “Our focus is on speeding up the global phase-out of unabated coal to foster stronger economies and more resilient communities,” Kerry stated. He emphasized that the initial step is to halt the expansion of new unabated coal power plants.
Kerry also mentioned that the U.S. is joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance, an agreement among nearly 60 nations committed to hastening the closure of coal-fired power stations, with exceptions for a few that possess carbon capture and storage technology.
This move is part of America’s strategy to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. As of October, coal accounts for just under 20% of U.S. electricity, according to the Department of Energy. Coal consumption in the U.S. last year was less than half of what it was in 2008.
President Biden recently stated that coal plants “all across America” will be shut down and replaced with wind and solar energy. The transition away from coal is already in progress, as federal clean energy tax credits and regulations make it increasingly difficult for coal operators to remain economically viable.
A study by the nonpartisan Institute for Energy Economics and Finance Analysis predicts that 173 coal plants will close by 2030, with an additional 54 closures by 2040. For example, the Brandon Shores coal power plant near Baltimore is expected to be deactivated in June 2025 due to a settlement between the plant’s operator and the Sierra Club, an environmental organization. The plant has a capacity of 1,295 megawatts, sufficient to power over a million homes.
The American Geosciences Institute notes that burning coal releases more carbon emissions than any other non-renewable fuel, with coal power having up to twice the carbon footprint of natural gas. Coal produces approximately 211 pounds of carbon dioxide per million BTUs of energy, compared to about 117 pounds for natural gas and 156 pounds for gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
This commitment from the U.S. comes in the context of China’s significant expansion of coal power generation last year. China is responsible for around 27% of global emissions, according to the Rhodium Group, with its emissions output being triple that of the U.S., the world’s second-largest emitter.
Additionally, global delegates attending COP 28 have been circulating a letter urging the U.S. and other Western nations to immediately ban new natural gas infrastructure projects.
