U.S. Coal Production by Year

Coal production in the U.S. has fallen by large amounts in recent years as the fracking boom has made natural gas more affordable.
Loading Chart
13 Comments
+7
Level ∞
Mar 15, 2020
This is the major reason for the decline in U.S. emissions of CO2. Coal power plants are being phased out in favor of natural gas. Natural gas produces nearly twice as much power as coal for the same amount of CO2 emissions. It also creates much less air pollution.
+9
Level 81
Mar 16, 2020
and saves money on candles when you can ignite the water coming out of the tap.
+2
Level ∞
Mar 16, 2020
There are definitely downsides to fracking but the upsides are much greater, IMHO. It's something that's not talked about. Oh course, the cleanest source of energy is even "scarier" than fracking. I'm talking about nuclear of course.
+5
Level 81
Mar 16, 2020
I think contaminating all of the ground water is scarier overall than a once-a-generation nuclear disaster. Yeah, potentially, an accident could render large swaths of the planet uninhabitable, but those accidents are exceedingly rare and in reality fossil fuels kill way more people than nuclear ever has, through some combination of accidents, pollution, and the effects of climate change.
+2
Level 71
Feb 26, 2021
Agree with kal. The chances of a nuclear disaster happening are pretty low, as long as plants are well-regulated. We definitely need to be talking about it more as a good alternative to fossils fuels and ease public fears about it.
+3
Level ∞
Jun 28, 2021
You won't find any disagreement from me. Nuclear power rules.
+14
Level ∞
Mar 15, 2020
With apologies to coal miners, it will be a good day when the last coal plant in the U.S. closes for good.
+1
Level 51
Mar 3, 2021
...and that will happen sooner than most people think it will.
+5
Level 81
Mar 16, 2020
very minor uptick in coal production in 2017, followed by a return to a downward trend in 2018. American greatness re-achieved?
+1
Level 51
Mar 3, 2021
Lowest since 1978! Still a gargantuan amount, but we're going there 😏
+2
Level 54
Mar 10, 2021
How about Life expectancy in Rwanda next, is shrunk to below 30 during the Rwandan Genocide, but is about 20 years, has now doubled and raised over 60 and is almost at 70.

+2
Level 39
Jul 1, 2021
Uhh... Can we create charts too?
+1
Level 50
Jul 4, 2021
Yes, you can