We once lit our homes with wax candles, then whale oil lamps, then kerosene, then we started using light bulbs powered by electricity. Each transition caused disruptions and dislocations, but ease of use backed by shear economics meant that the old models and methods had to go.
Coal is expensive and dirty to mine, expensive to ship, dirty to burn, and you’re left with tons of ash which need to be disposed. And that’s not even even discussing the significant environmental impacts inherent along each step of the way.
Gas-fired plants are cheaper to build, own, and operate, and they’re cleaner to boot. Fracking is messy, but still better than blowing the tops off mountains, and it’s much, much easier to ship by pipe than by train.
Renewables like wind and solar have gained ground (10% of the grid thus far) and will continue to do so. Price per MW has steadily declined, and will also continue to do so.
Coal simply isn’t competitve from an economic standpoint, nor is it desirable from an environmental standpoint. (The later is true even disregarding CO2, as coal’s negative impact on air and water quality are well know.)
Coal once helped build America. Now, like whale oil, its time is past and it’s time for us to move forward.
