Coal haters, it appears that your protests have been heard loud and clear. Because of the negative backlash from the public, clashes with green protesters, and -- perhaps most important -- the threat of profit-killing restrictions imposed at the federal level, a steadily growing list of coal power projects are being shelved or tossed out completely. America's growing lust for electricity appears to be colliding head on with widespread concerns about air quality, mountaintop removal, and climate change.
As of now, coal is far and away the largest source of energy in the US -- but the question marks plaguing its future are slowly taking the shine off of investments in the coal power industry. According to Wayne Leonard, CEO of Entegy: "when you look at the risks around the coal plant at this time, it's very hard to justify." The feeling appears to be mutual, as energy companies consider the Obama administration's promises to mandate CO2 restrictions. Since November, no less than nine coal power projects have either been delayed or challenged, even as the demand for electricity grows. If this does spell the end for coal, the next two readily available candidates to fill the gap are natural gas and nuclear.
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