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   Trump plans on reviving red state USA's failing buggy whip industry next!   
      
   Don't worry, he's not spending your tax dollars, he's borrowing it from   
   China!   
      
   Trump's Coal Comeback Could Face A Brutal Economic Reality   
   Great Speculations   
      
   ByFrank Holmes,   
      
   Contributor.   
   CEO and CIO of U. S. Global Investors   
   for Great Speculations   
   Apr 14, 2025, 01:30pm EDTApr 14, 2025, 04:47pm EDT   
   coal miner in the hands of   
   coal miner in the hands of coal background   
   getty   
      
   Between raising and lowering tariffs on imported goods, President Donald   
   Trump made time last week to sign an executive order aimed at reviving   
   America's "beautiful clean coal industry. " The order outlines an ambitious   
   strategy to reclassify coal as a critical mineral, reopen federal lands to   
   mining, fast-track environmental reviews and provide federal support for   
   coal-fired electricity and coal exports.   
      
   The move comes at a pivotal time. Demand for electricity is surging as the   
   U. S. seeks to reindustrialize and build out new infrastructure to support   
   artificial intelligence data centers, electric vehicles and high-   
   performance computing. According to S&P Global, the U. S. will see greater   
   electricity demand growth in the next decade than in any 10-year period in   
   history.   
   COMM-electricity-04112025   
   The U. S. projected to see record electricity demand growth over the next   
   decade   
   U. S. Global Investors   
      
   Shares of Peabody Energy—the largest U. S. coal producer, responsible for   
   mining over 104,000 short tons in 2023—closed up 9.21% last Tuesday. That   
   was the company's best one-day increase since November 6, 2024, the day   
   after Trump won his second term. Over the longer term, however, Peabody's   
   stock has plummeted, losing close to 60% of its value since Election Day.   
   COMM-coal-peabody-energy-04112025   
   U. S. coal leader Peabody Energy down close to 60% since Election Day   
   U. S. Global Investors   
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   I admire the president's focus on strengthening U. S. energy security.   
   Reliable, affordable power is the bedrock of economic growth and national   
   competitiveness. While I understand his intent, I believe the long-term   
   investment case is moving in a different direction—and it's one that leans   
   heavily toward renewables.   
   The Reality Of Coal Economics   
      
   Coal is often described as a powerful energy source, and indeed it helped   
   build the industrial age. But today, coal is struggling to compete on cost.   
   The levelized cost of electricity for new coal plants is more than double   
   that of solar, wind and natural gas, according to BloombergNEF. And that's   
   before factoring in the environmental and public health costs of coal   
   extraction and combustion.   
      
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   The simple truth is that coal is no longer the cheapest or cleanest option.   
   COMM-coal-power-generation-04112025   
   Coal power generation is more than double the cost of other sources   
   U. S. Global Investors   
      
   The market knows this. Coal's share of power generation in advanced   
   economies has been in steady decline since it peaked in 2007, according to   
   the International Energy Agency (IEA).   
      
   In the U. S. , coal fell below 15% for the first time ever in 2024, and the   
   trend is accelerating. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial   
   Analysis projects that the remaining 115,000 megawatts of coal capacity   
   could be shuttered by 2040. Nearly a quarter of the existing U. S. coal   
   fleet is already scheduled to retire by 2029.   
      
   Many of the plants still online are operating far below capacity. Reopening   
   closed plants, or extending the lives of aging ones, is highly inefficient.   
   Maintenance costs increase with age, and many units are now over 50 years   
   old. The last large coal plant built in the U. S. came online in 2013, and   
   since then, the pipeline has run dry.   
   A Global Shift   
      
   It's no secret that the global energy makeup is transitioning. Coal   
   generation hit a new record high in 2024, largely due to growth in emerging   
   markets, but even in China and India, two of the world's largest coal   
   consumers, ambitious plans are underway to increase cleaner energy. China   
   led the world in solar additions in 2024, while India is scaling up   
   renewables to meet its growing energy needs.   
      
   The U. S. saw coal consumption fall 4% last year, on top of a 17% drop in   
   2023. Meanwhile, renewables are setting new records. Just last month, U. S.   
   wind and solar generation hit an all-time high of 83 terawatt-hours, while   
   fossil fuels' share of the electricity mix fell below 50% for the first   
   time ever.   
      
   It's clear where the wind is blowing.   
   COMM-fossil-fuels-04112025   
   Fossil fuels accounted for less than 50% of U. S. electricity mix for first   
   time   
   U. S. Global Investors   
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   I believe this trend represents an attractive investment opportunity.   
   Renewable capacity additions around the world surged by 25% last year, led   
   by solar and wind. Solar alone is expected to account for more than half of   
   all new generating capacity in the U. S. this year, with my home state of   
   Texas leading the way. More than a third of all new solar panels is   
   expected to be installed right here.   
      
   What's even more compelling is that renewables are now cheaper not just   
   than building new coal plants—they're cheaper than operating most existing   
   coal plants. According to Energy Innovation, 99% of U. S. coal plants could   
   be replaced with new solar or wind at a lower cost.   
   AI and Data Centers   
      
   Again, I agree with President Trump that AI and data centers will be   
   massive energy consumers in the coming years. As executive chairman of HIVE   
   Digital Technologies, I should know. Between now and 2030, electricity   
   consumption by data centers alone is set to more than double to an   
   estimated 945 TWh. Pinning our hopes on coal to meet those needs is a   
   backward-looking solution, I believe.   
      
   Coal may see a temporary boost from regulatory relief, and some investors   
   may profit in the short term. But in the long run, I think the writing is   
   on the wall. The global transition to cleaner, cheaper energy is well   
      
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