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#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy

The Importance of Coal, Part 2: Coal Power in the Rest of the World

February 23, 2026 dickstormprobizblog and dickstormenergyelectricity.org Leave a comment

Coal power in America remains important and I wrote on that last week. This is a followup to provide an overview of the importance of coal as a form of primary energy in the rest of the world. The key phrase is Primary Energy.

Ron Stein and Nancy Perlman wrote an excellent article on the importance of providing primary energy to the six billion people on the planet that are living in poverty. Lifting them from poverty requires energy, just as energy powered the citizens of countries living in the Developed world.

“In poor countries, millions of those in poverty die every year.
From indoor air pollution from having to burn wood, charcoal, grass, and dung, because they don’t have natural gas, propane or electricity for cooking and heating.
From bacteria and parasites in their water and food, because they don’t have electricity, water treatment or refrigeration.
From malaria and other diseases, because their substandard clinics and hospitals lack electricity, clean water, sufficient vaccines and antibiotics, even window screens. “

It’s disheartening that the wealthier country governments have chosen electricity generation “winners,” i.e., wind and solar, to generate electricity, paid with taxpayer funds, to support the Government Mandates and Subsidies.”

How about India and China?

China did in fact lift millions from poverty since they entered the World Trade Organization and became the world’s leading country in manufacturing. One example is their use of enormous amounts of coal as the primary energy to produce aluminum. Before the year 2000 China was an insignificant producer of aluminum. Look what they did in 20 years.

How did China power their economy to become the world’s largest producer of aluminum, steel and most manufactured products in such a short time? They did it with coal power. Thomas Shepstone, Jr. and Duggan Flanigan also wrote about energy intensive aluminum production. Here is an overview of China’s energy production during this period of astounding industrial production growth. This chart below is from my July 2025 presentation to the Coal Institute.

China consumes over 50% of the world’s coal. They understand the sources of primary energy that are viable for affordable, Dispatchable and reliable electricity production, so does India. From the IER (Institute for Energy Research)

“China and India – both considered “developing countries” by the IPCC – are burning record amounts of coal and using more kinds of energy to keep energy prices affordable and increase the standard of living for their people.
Wind and solar energy in China and India are complements, not substitutes, to their massive growth in energy, particularly in fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels provided 82 percent and 88 percent of China and India’s energy, respectively, in 2022.”

How about India, Germany and the UK?

From the Economic Times: “India’s coal consumption could more than double ‍by mid-century before plunging sharply as the country shifts toward cleaner energy, ⁠long‑term projections published by government think-tank NITI Aayog show.“

Germany’s path to Net Zero has created much loss of industry. Here are a few references:

WUWT on the Decline of German Chemical Industries due to High Energy Prices, and How Germany is Dismantling it’s Core, by Tilak Doshi.

German De-Industrialization post on the “Last Pipe” from Vallourec Factory.

Lars Shernikau’s blog post on the decline of German Industry due to missteps of Green Policies. Dr. Shernikau is a well respected author and world renowned energy expert.

Coal use in the world has steadily increased.

So if Coal Is Such an Obvious Source of Primary Energy, Why is the West Self Sabotaging Their Economies?

I provided a presentation to the ENERUM Energy Forum in Columbus in 2022 to ask this question. A similar presentation to Liberty University in 2023. I am glad to send those presentations. upon request.

Getting back to aluminum production, here is a graph of U.S. and China production. As America shut down many coal plants and electricity costs rose, China was building new coal plants to provide reasonable cost electricity to smelt aluminum in huge quantities. Many folks, including me believe that China Dumped aluminum on the International markets in lieu of counterfeiting U.S. currency. Note the rise of aluminum produced in China during the years 2004-2014 (from chart above). Both of these charts are from a presentation to the Delaware County Bar Association in 2016 to discuss energy, the economy and how it impacts the Real-Estate Market. Yes, I know that sounds abstract, but reasonable cost energy = jobs, especially for energy intensive industries such as aluminum smelting, then the jobs impact the Real-Estate market.

The Self-Sabotaging and excessive environmental laws of the U.S. have not only seriously (I hope not mortally) wounded the aluminum industry, but also steel and heavy manufacturing. Steel production by country is shown below. Why do western politicians continue to do their best to weaken their countries and force manufacturing overseas? It is not only the U.S. it is Australia, Germany the UK and more. President Trump is trying to correct the U.S. problem, but he has much opposition by the Democrats.

The west has been committing energy suicide. Here are links to several articles written by Professor Vaclav Smil, CO2 Coalition’s Gregory Whitestone and Ron Stein. Vaclav Smil for Fraser Institute, “Why Net Zero is Impractical and Unrealistic” and Scam of the Century: Ridding the World of Crude Oil Without a Replacement is Global Suicide”, by Ron Stein and Gregory Whitestone, July 2024. I have also written much with many credible other references on the Self-Sabotaging of the U.S. electric Grid. Here, here and here are three such articles.

Professor Samuele Furfari whom I admire and follow, has written much on the fallacy of hydrogen, wind and solar. Here is a short article he wrote for the CO2 Coalition. Here is an excerpt:

“Over the past ten years, the EU has reduced its energy demand by 6.1 EJ. In contrast, the rest of the world has increased its energy demand by 76.8 EJ – thirteen times more. This is not surprising given that the EU’s competitiveness is currently under threat from the Green Deal. This tragedy is even recognised by the Mario Draghi report, although it does not directly attribute faults to the Green Deal n order to remain politically correct. Instead, the report blames the increase in energy prices, which are nevertheless the consequence of EU energy policy. Outside the European Union, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power have generated 8 EJ. This figure actually surpasses the change in energy demand within the EU itself. Nevertheless, over the past ten years, fossil fuel consumption has increased by 59 EJ. This means that outside the EU growth in fossil fuels has outpaced that of renewables by a factor of 7.3. In other words, while modern renewable energy is expanding, fossil fuel use is increasing at a rate more than seven times greater. Contrary to the commonly held belief within the EU that the gap between renewables and fossil fuels is narrowing, the reality is that the gap is widening. The evidence suggests that the EU has indeed achieved results in the energy transition, undergoing a profound transformation of its electricity sector and setting benchmarks for renewable energy integration and emissions reduction. However, the EU’s progress is not being matched elsewhere, and its leadership is merely symbolic because the rest of the world is accelerating its use of fossil fuels more than its use of renewable energy. When a leader realises that no one is following them, they must reconsider whether they are truly leading.” I emboldened the line which I thought was most important. It is not only the EU that has chosen the foolish path of Net Zero Carbon, but many other countries and states remain on this course. So, let’s take a look at Australia.

Australia

I saw Ben Tan’s post on LinkedIn where he showed the primary energy used in Australia 1984-2024. It is copied below. This shows the constant need for coal power, steady since 1983.

Two other Australian sources for up to date enelectricity generation by source are Rafe Champion and Ben Beattie. I thank them for their articles, links and information. Here below is the Australian Grid generation by fuel for Feb. 22, 2026. Note that it is over 50 % coal. (at one point 38.5% Black coal and 13.2% Brown Coal) Solar and wind were producing 45% at this same moment. Solar does very well during the sunshiny 6 hours or so of the day and wind does well when the wind is blowing, but the voltage control, base load, sudden increased demand requirements (like turning on a 150 MW electric furnace in a steel mill). Also, the rotational inertia and Grid stability are provided by the coal and gas plants.

Numerous references are included at the end from Rafe Champion, PA Pundits and others on the problems with wind and solar. Although electricity generation is complicated, it is not rocket science. If the politicians would do just a little bit of reading and research and maybe even ask folks like us that do understand, they could make right decisions. However, across the west politicians insist on weakening their countries. Just like the U.S. presidents Obama and Biden (before President Trump began the Herculean job of correcting anti-American Energy policy) and the German and UK politicians. Of course, even many Bureaucrats and state Legislatures to this day, are still stuck on the destructive path of Net Zero Carbon. Even my Conservative (Red) state of South Carolina. Here is a quote From the Santee-Cooper IRP: “As required by S.C. Code Ann. §58-37-40(A)(4)(c), Santee Cooper has evaluated a Net Zero CO2 “

This reminds me of Charlie Reese’s last column on how a minority of legislators and judges can force their Ideology on the citizens. Off topic but voter energy education and voter turnout needs to be improved. As I said, we even have misguided voters and politicians in the deep red state of South Carolina. We have got to improve the energy IQ of the voters.

Recent Articles to Support Building New Coal Power Generation Plants

Rather than repeat my same message, here are recent articles I have written in an attempt to explain the case for new coal plants, including two articles on the need to build new coal plants based on coal being the default source of primary energy. The default source of primary energy because the electricity growth is expected to out pace the production of gas turbines to provide for all new generation and nuclear generation, although a very good approach, will take a decade or more to provide the needed electricity generation capacity.

Ten Hard Truths of Electricity Generation in South Carolina, the Life-Blood of the Economy, Oct. 8, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/10/08/ten-hard-truths-of-s-c-electricity-the-lifeblood-of-the-economy/
Reality of Building 32,000 MW of New Generation Capacity/Year. Solutions; Build New Coal Plants Now!, https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/10/22/reality-of-32000-mw-year-of-new-generation-demand-solution-build-new-coal-plants-now/
Power for the U.S.A. Reality of Building 32,000 MW each year: https://powerfortheusa.com/2025/10/22/reality-of-32000-mw-year-of-new-generation-demand-solution-build-new-coal-plants-now/
Power for the U.S.A. Advantages of Coal Power, Dec. 21, 2025: https://powerfortheusa.com/2025/12/21/advantages-of-coal-fuel-for-electricity-generation/
100 Quadrillion BTUs and Why Coal Should be Included in the Primary Energy Portfolio: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2026/01/28/one-hundred-twenty-quadrillion-btus-and-the-need-for-coal-to-provide-at-least-20-quads-of-americas-primary-energy-part-l/
Dick Storm Presentation to EPRI on the Importance of Applying the Fundamentals for Achievement of the Best Thermal Performance, Feb. 8, 2026: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2026/02/08/the-importance-of-coal-thermal-performance-considerations-for-heat-rate-and-resiliency/
Thomas J. Shepstone published version of Dick Storm article on Obtaining Best Performance from Coal Plants, Feb. 2026: https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/look-at-the-data-the-demise-of-coal

Conclusions

• Wind and Solar are the Highest Cost Power and Cannot Meet Demand, they are a risk to national security and when a region exceeds 30% renewables and the electricity rates are the highest

• More Dispatchable Bulk Power Plants Need to be Built

• Coal, Gas and Nuclear Plants provide the lowest cost, most reliable Power over the long term

• States and Countries on Path to Net-Zero Carbon are Paying a high price

• Natural Gas Prices will likely rise in the future

• Electricity prices will rise with fuel cost as well as from inflation of components and construction costs.

• Production prices of electricity will follow fuel cost

• A Balanced Generation portfolio is Beneficial as a Hedge Against Fuel Cost Volatility

• America should learn from the experiences of Germany, CA, Hawaii, CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ and other states with high electricity costs

• States and countries that have shut down coal plants have experienced increased electricity production costs. This is not a forecast, this is fact

Thank you for reading and

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, February 22, 2026

References and articles for further research:

America Out Loud, article: Net-Zero is NOT Affordable by the 6 Billion Living in Poverty: https://www.americaoutloud.news/net-zero-is-not-affordable-by-the-6-billion-living-in-poverty/
Comparison of China and U.S. Energy Policies: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/18/comparison-of-china-energy-electricity-generation-with-u-s-a/
Duggan Flanigan and Thomas J. Shepstone, Jr. on the energy intensive production of aluminum: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/trump-is-saving-american-aluminum?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer
The importance of Aluminum by the Economic Policy Institute, 2021: https://www.epi.org/publication/aluminum-producing-and-consuming-industries-have-thrived-under-u-s-section-232-import-measures/
The Aluminum Association: https://www.aluminum.org/PowerUp
Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
Energy and Economic Prosperity, Talk to Delaware County Bar Association, July 2016: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2016/07/25/energy-and-economic-prosperity-my-thoughts-dick-storm/
Thomas Shepstone Published Coal Institute presentation by Dick Storm, July 20, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-unpopular-but-hard-truths-of?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Columbus, Ohio Energy Forum, ENERUM, 2022, Dick Storm presentation: Dick Storm Presentation to Columbus Energy Forum, Columbus, Ohio August 2022: : https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_presentation-and-speakers-notes-from-august-activity-7068650158862827520-B-_W?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Institute for Energy Research, 2023: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/coal/china-and-india-burn-record-amounts-of-coal/
German De-Industrialization post on the “Last Pipe” from Vallourec Factory: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7112422447580082176-MMm3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
“Why Net Zero is Impractical and Unrealistic”: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/halfway-between-kyoto-and-2050
Scam of the Century, Ridding the World of Crude Oil Without a Replacement is Global Suicide”, by Ron Stein and Gregory Whitestone, July 2024: https://www.americaoutloud.news/scam-of-the-century-ridding-the-world-of-crude-oil-without-a-replacement-is-global-suicide/
Are You Worried about the Future of America? Jan. 21, 2021 Thoughts on Energy Policies, Industrial and Economic Growth: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/21/are-you-worried-about-the-future-of-america/
U.S. War on Carbon Accomplishes Two Things, Weakens America, Enriches China, Jan. 30, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/30/us-war-on-carbon-accomplishes-two-things/
Blue Planet in Green Shackles, What is Endangered, Climate or Freedom”: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-nD
Dick Storm presentation to the Coal Institute, July 2025, Myrtle Beach, SC. Published by Thomas J. Shepstone, Jr.: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-unpopular-but-hard-truths-of?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Australia Grid, Real Time: https://explore.openelectricity.org.au/energy/nem/?range=3d&interval=5m&view=discrete-time&group=Detailed
WUWT on Power in the West by David Wojick: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/08/12/electric-power-fantasies-collide-out-west/
Dr. Samule Furfari on Energy Additions, Not a Transition, Fossil Fuels are the Bedrock of Progress, July 2025: https://co2coalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-07-Energy-Addition-Not-Transition-Fossil-Fuels-Remain-the-Bedrock-of-Progress.pdf
The Very Real Costs of the War on Coal, Real Clear Energy, July 2025: https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2025/07/31/the_very_real_human_impact_of_coal_closures_1125990.html
The Coming Electricity Reliability Crisis and the Importance of Coal, Sept. 12, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/09/12/the-electricity-reliability-crisis-and-the-importance-of-american-coal/
The Kingdom of Heaven Runs on Righteousness, The Kingdom of Earth Runs on Energy, Oct. 3, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/10/03/heaven-runs-on-righteousness-earth-runs-on-energy/
Charley Reese’s Last Column, “545 vs. 300,000,000 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/11/27/charley-reeses-last-column-a-classic-commentary-written-over-twenty-years-ago/
Why is Western Civilization Self Sabotaging the Primary Energy that Provides 80% of the fuel for America’s Life-Blood of Reliable Electricity, with the War on Carbon?. : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/12/17/why-is-western-civilization-self-sabotaging-the-primary-energy-sources-that-provide-80-of-the-fuel-for-americas-life-blood-of-reliable-electricity-with-the-war-on-carbon/
Musings on the Self-Sabotaging Energy Policies and a Reminder of the History of the Rise and Fall of Nations: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/01/13/musings-on-self-sabotaging-energy-policies-and-a-reminder-of-the-history-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-nations/
The EPA “Endangerment Finding” and why it Needs to Go, Feb. 2, 2025: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-1ZW
The SWAMP MONSTER vs. 300 Million Americans, Feb. 21, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/21/the-swamp-monster-vs-the-best-interests-of-the-united-states-of-america/
Thomas J. Shepstone Substack on Dick Storm’s “Primer on How to Ensure Electricity Security (and How to Destroy It)”: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/a-primer-on-how-to-ensure-energy?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Thomas J. Shepstone version of Dick Storm article Feb, 2025. Time to Revoke the Endangerment Finding” : https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/its-way-past-time-to-revoke-the-pseudo
Existing EPA-Endangerment Rules Impact South Carolina Electricity Costs and Will Cause Rationing if the EPA Endangerment Finding Isn’t Repealed Feb. 28, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/28/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs-and-will-cause-rationing-of-electricity-in-south-carolina-if-endangerment-finding-is-not-repealed/
Bjorn Lomberg on the High Cost of Solar and Wind, Climate Change Dispatch, Jan. 2, 2025: https://climatechangedispatch.com/wind-solar-hidden-truth-behind-rising-electric-bills/
Frazer Institute, “Hot Air, Cold Truths, Bjorn Lomberg, March 2025: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/hot-air-and-cold-truths-bjorn-lomborg
Delaware County Insider, Wind and Solar are Expensive, Bjorn Lomberg, May 24, 2024: https://delawarevalleyjournal.com/lomborg-the-true-cost-of-wind-and-solar-energy/
Yahoo Finance and National Post, March 2025, Bjorn Lomberg, Wind and Solar are Expensive: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/bjorn-lomborg-solar-wind-power-100008520.html
Alabama Attorney General is amongst 22 states in appeal to return to coal for power generation revival of the Grid: https://gulfcoastmedia.com/stories/alabama-attorney-general-calls-for-reviving-americas-energy-grid-with-coal,257548?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0XeLob6rYc5WaBBtSyuB7vHctTdzVhTJxJZ96bExtALJBFoqUPAJPKaY0_aem_8TNpNEKQSIdjNrJTJeBF8Q#//
Life Powered article on the Unreliability of Wind & Solar in Texas, March 29, 2025: https://lifepowered.org/reliability-standards-to-reduce-the-cost-of-wind-and-solar-volatility-in-texas/
Joanne Nova on Coal Plant Approvals of the world: https://joannenova.com.au/2025/06/not-dying-global-approvals-of-coal-plants-back-up-to-2015-high/
Vijay Jayaraj on the importance of energy to Developing countries: https://californiaglobe.com/fr/the-lethal-fog-of-clean-air-hypocrisy/
Lars Schernikau, “Unpopular Truths” Newsletter on the decline of German Industry due to failed energy policies: https://sh1.sendinblue.com/3gvdip76f0lpfe.html?t=1744529565190
PA Pundits on Offshore Wind and National Security, Feb. 22, 2026: https://papundits.wordpress.com/2026/02/22/new-book-explores-how-offshore-wind-undermines-national-security/#like-287902
Future Coal 2025: https://www.futurecoal.org/energy-security-takes-centre-stage-as-global-coal-demand-hits-record-high-in-2025/
EIA on rising electric prices: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67106&utm_medium=email
WUWT on the Decline of German Chemical Industries due to High Energy Prices, Feb. 4, 2025: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/02/04/germanys-chemical-reckoning-how-europe-is-dismantling-its-industrial-core/
Thomas Shepstone and Robert Bradley, Feb. 4, 2026: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/tell-republican-rino-we-dont-need?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Rafe Champion Substack on Wind Droughts in Australia:
https://rafechampion.substack.com/p/defusing-the-wind-drought-trap
South Carolina Legislation to force Electric Utilities to a path of Net-Zero Carbon:
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/bills/3194.htm

“As required by S.C. Code Ann. §58-37-40(A)(4)(c), Santee Cooper has evaluated a Net Zero CO2

Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Energy, Politics and Economic Prosperity, Regulations

The Importance of Coal: Thermal Performance Considerations for Heat Rate and Resiliency

February 8, 2026 dickstormprobizblog and dickstormenergyelectricity.org Leave a comment

The thermal performance of the existing coal fleet can be improved by applying proven and reasonable cost mechanical tuning solutions. Coal power generation has many advantages when done with excellence in operations and maintenance. This article is based on my presentation to the EPRI Heat-Rate Conference last week and it is written for experienced electric power generation professionals, thus this is somewhat technical. The purpose is to show both the importance of coal power and to highlight some of the opportunities to improve coal plant thermal performance.

First, Apply the Fundamentals!

Our approach to coal plant performance improvement has always been: First apply the fundamentals which we refer to as the 13 Essentials for Optimum Combustion and the 22 Boiler Controllable Heat-Rate Variables. More on these later. After these have been applied, then consider modifications and upgrades of bottlenecking components.

The charts of coal use in the world below highlight the absolute importance of coal power as a major source of primary energy. Paraphrasing Mark Twain’s comment on seeing his Obituary, and applying it to coal: “The reporting of the demise of coal has been greatly exaggerated”...

Coal Remains Vital as a Source of American Primary Energy

Some of us nuts and bolts practical engineers knew the importance for coal fuel to meet the demand of last week’s winter storm. The U.S. Grid Dashboard helped document that need. However, this seems new to many academics and government policy makers.

In fact, here is the U.S. electricity generation by fuel for January 30^th. Note that coal is shown generating 128,526 MW. This is about 22% of the total generation. During this cold period, this is a very important 22% of Dispatchable and affordable generation.

Coal powered well over 60% of the low country of South Carolina last week. To be fair, SCPSA owns about 322 MW of Summer nuclear plant and that power is not shown on the display below. Like many areas of the U.S. coal, nuclear and gas provided over 80% of the total electricity generation.

The chart below is a screenshot of MISOENERGY. For this region, coal was over 39% during winter storm Fern.

Coal literally saved the Grid during winter storm Fern. And, nearly all of the expert forecasts of electricity Demand show about 100,000 MW of new generation needed by 2030. So, my question is, why aren’t new base load coal plants under construction right now?

The charts above show the importance of coal as recent as last week. However, the Deep State Bureaucrats, NGOs. state Legislatures (including red states like S.C.) and much of the public still resist facing the energy reality that coal offers many advantages for at least the next two decades. Well, let’s move on to getting the best performance from the existing coal fleet by first, applying the fundamentals!

Getting the Inputs Right

Achieving excellence in operating a coal plant takes hard work and vigilance of paying attention to the details. Rankine plants are tough, resilient and forgiving but when attention is paid to the details it can make a huge difference in heat rate. Here is a typical spread of plant efficiencies as performed by an NETL study.

This is old timey data but, in my experience, it represents the spread between the Best Run and those that are run with Mediocrity. The chart below is from Electric Light and Power, Nov./Dec. 2014. This shows the top 20 Rankine Cycle coal plans for the year 2013. Net Heat-Rate for that year. Excellence in O&M as well as design. Notice, Turk Plant at the top of the list. More on Turk later.

I coauthored an article in POWER Magazine with Dr. Robert Peltier entitled, “How Stealth Losses in Combustion Can Lower Efficiency”. This article was based on experiences and proven results. It has been shown that by excellence in O&M, Heat-Rates can be influenced by as much as 1,200 BTU/kWh. Later a couple examples will be shown where the magnitude of 500 BTUs/kWh in Heat-Rate improvements were achieved by applying the 13 Essentials and the 22 Boiler Controllable Variables. This was accomplished by testing to identify the opportunities and then correcting them. Most of the improvements have been through optimizing primary airflow, improving coal fineness, correcting air in-leakage and reducing upper furnace exit gas temperatures (FEGT). The reduced FEGT then improves thermal performance by reducing S.H. and R.H. de-superheating spray water flow and reducing cycle losses from soot blowing.

Getting the Inputs Right!

The first step to optimizing combustion and heat rate, is to apply the 13 Essentials. All 13 are important, but nine of the 13 are pulverizer, fuel and fuel line related. This list of 13 essentials is the best and most important single document for optimizing combustion on a large PC Fired Utility Boiler. I am dead serious. These are NOT optional for a pulverized coal fueled boiler.

Some of the most common opportunities for improvement that we have found and then corrected for mechanical tuning with great results are:

Pulverized coal fineness
High Primary Airflow
High FEGT due to secondary combustion
Air In-Leakage
Air Heater Leakage
Fuel line imbalance
Secondary air imbalance
Burner tuning optimization

I know that there are other combustion tuning and controls manufacturers believe that airflow management to different zones of the furnace is not important, However, it is our experience that airflow management is in fact, crucial. We know from experience that these do work very well and where we have implemented the 13 Essentials they have always created a positive result for improved efficiency, reduced slagging, less tube metal overheating, best NOx performance, improved ESP (Electrostatic Precipitator) performance and more.

The correction of these individual items then complement each other to provide synergy which compounds the improvements. Such as: Reducing high primary airflows will usually result in better fineness, lower flyash carbon in ash losses, reduced upper furnace gas temperatures (FEGT), reduced sootblowing, less de-superheating spray water flows and reduced dry gas losses as a result of lowered tempering air flows. When all 13 Essentials have been earnestly applied and the O&M Team bought in on constantly maintaining them with vigilance, good RESULTS have been achieved. I will provide a couple examples later in this discussion.

The potential improvements and the synergism between them is shown on the chart below to show how about 600 BTUs/kWh in Heat-Rate can be achieved by focusing on boiler and combustion optimization. The data and examples shown have been proven in full size coal power plants and in at least one complete Utility that adopted the approach over a several year period.

Here is a figure which shows several of the most important “Essentials” of optimum combustion. Key to best coal fineness, best airheater “X” Ratio, fuel balance and good reliability is, a repeatable and optimized Primary air curve. An example of a preferred primary airflow ramp is shown below.

Pulverizer performance is important and it has been our experience, that unless pulverizers are undersized, the fineness and fuel distribution can be corrected to within the parameters of 75% passing 200 mesh and 1.8 #air/#fuel and +/- 10% Fuel line balance. Truly, the pulverizers are the heart of a PC fired boiler.

One of the simplest tests to ascertain whether high carbon in ash is due to combustion issues or pulverizer performance is to run a three-part flyash carbon in ash test. First, obtain a representative ash sample and pass a measured quantity through a 200 mesh sieve. Then measure the LOI (Loss on Ignition) of the coarse and fine particles. If most of the carbon loss is in the coarse particles, then the high loss due to carbon in ash is pulverizer performance related. If high LOI in the fine particles, then fuel balancing, air balancing or high post combustion air in-leakage is the problem. I am not one to promote shortcuts, but this is an easy test to conduct and it is very informative with regard to combustion performance and pulverizer performance. However, the flyash sample MUST be Representative!

Stealth Heat-Rate Losses

Stealth heat rate losses are those losses in Rankine Cycle efficiency due to controllable losses, some are located at the Boiler Island. Here is a list of 22 Controllable Losses that are controllable by optimization of the steam generator and combustion system performance.

Application of these practical steps have been accomplished on numerous single units and on several total utility systems. All Utility boiler furnace exit gas temperatures should be in the range of 2,150 degrees F. to 2,,300 degrees F. Often, the first indication of a problem is in the use of an HVT probe with a 310 ss radiation shield and the metal and thermocouple literally melt. The melting temperature of 310 ss is about 2,900 degrees F. The pre-requisite for achieving good furnace performance is to apply the 13 Essentials as covered above and when the are, lower FEGT’s are attainable. (FEGT=Furnace Exit Gas Temperature)

The stealth losses compound together because of poor furnace combustion, this leads to flame quenching, overheated S.H. and R.H. tube metals, high S.H. and R.H. spray water flows, higher exit gas loss, slagging and fouling, increased draft loss, increased sootblower operation and consequent cycle steam losses, increased fan horsepower and carbon in ash losses. These seemingly small, individual issues when corrected, compound to create significant heat rate improvements as will be shown later. Never underestimate the adverse impact of poor pulverizer performance on overall unit Heat-Rate!

High primary airflow contributes to poor coal fineness, higher FEGT, increased NOx, high metal temperatures in the S.H. and R.H., requires increased soot blower operation, fouls the convection pass, air heater and SCR and much more. High primary airflows are very commonly found by our test teams. One of the most frequent opportunities for improvement.

Non-optimized combustion then creates Rankine cycle Thermodynamic losses through increased de-superheating water spray flows. The R.H. sprays are particularly harmful to Heat-Rate.

Case Studies of Large Utility Steam Generator Successes

Here is an example of a 450 MW 2400 psi/1000/1000 unit which has a design best heat rate of about 9,200 Btus/kWh. In this case study the 13 essentials were applied but these alone did not correct the high FEGT. To correct secondary air imbalances windbox baffles and perforated plates were installed in the burner inlets. These secondary airflow system changes corrected secondary air maldistribution. The result was about a 300-500 Btu/kWh heat rate improvement.

However, the largest economic gain came from improved fuel flexibility where lower cost coal with a lower fusion temperature could be burned and this provided better generation economics and increased load factor operation, which also helped to achieve a better heat rate from the increased operational hours at higher loads.

The next case study is a 600 MW class 2400/1000/1000 unit in northern Kentucky. The heat rate was about 1,000 Btu above achievable. Again, first step was the application of the 13 essentials for combustion optimization. But also, a very effective team effort was organized by the plant manager to place priority on all of the heat rate factors on the steam generator and all of the balance of plant. Including the condenser cleaning and cooling tower fill corrections.

The results of the coordinated efforts of the operations and maintenance team plus the heat-rate engineer and Storm Technologies testing, resulted in a step change in heat rate improvement of about 800 Btus/kWh. The primary pre-requisite for this success was TEAMWORK! All of the O&M Team bought in on the approach and the end result was extremely gratifying to all.

The main factors in this unit’s success were: Pulverizer optimization, fuel balancing, optimized primary airflow program (reduced PA flows), secondary air balancing, correcting air in leakage, correction of cooling tower fill problems, reducing secondary combustion, reduced high spray flows, reduced soot blower operation, reduced air preheater leakage and reduced system losses.

The typical opportunities that are found are worth about 600 Btus/kWh in heat rate improvement. Here is a breakdown of where these opportunities are typically found:

A frequently found opportunity is air in-leakage. Especially on older boilers. Any air that enters the boiler setting without passing through the air preheater, constitutes a Dry Gas Loss. Also, if it is large enough, can contribute to secondary combustion due to low furnace oxygen content, upper furnace secondary combustion and high FEGT’s.

The air preheater is the last heat trap on 99% of all the coal plants we have worked. Improving the performance or ultimately replacing the air preheaters with newer, reduced leakage and higher efficiency preheaters can drastically improve overall unit performance.

For older plants and especially those that have poor performing air preheaters such as the Rothemuhle type, then installing an upgraded new air preheater can provide a step change in improved performance.
It is my hope that New Source Review and any other restrictive Regulations against modifications to improve performance are gone forever.

Another upgrade option is to change the superheater and/or Reheater surface areas for optimum steam temperatures and overall performance. Also, possible changes in tube lane spacing, sootblower lane erosion protection and upgraded higher alloy tubing.

America’s last new coal plants went into service over a dozen years ago. Three of the newest and highest efficiency units are Duke’s Cliffside, AEP’s Turk and Kansas City Gas and Electric’sIatan. All of these are supercritical and capable of heat rates of about 8,300-9,000 Btus/kWh. About 38-41% thermal efficiency. https://www.powermag.com/plant-of-the-yearkcpls-iatan-2-earns-powers-highest-honor/
The Europeans, Japanese and Americans advanced the state of the art for Rankine cycle plants to approach 42% thermal efficiency. These improvements were in steam turbines, steam generator design and metallurgy. Then, we stopped building coal plants. The Chinese, on the other hand, had the advantage of applying all of the improvements that the west had achieved and then they kept on working to advance the state of the art even further. Indeed they have approached 50% thermal efficiency with their coal plant designs. However, the Chinese plant Heat-Rates are reported on a fuel LHV basis. To be a fair comparison to the Best units in America, such as Turk or Cliffside the efficiencies should be based on the fuel HHV. These Chinese units (and Turk and Cliffside) have been featured in Power Magazine.

The American advancement of coal plant design in the modern age, for the best thermal efficiency possible, began with the Eddystone Unit # 1 designed in the 1950’s.

Quest for Improved Thermal Efficiency

In my personal experiences, I began my career in the power industry in 1962. This is when Philadelphia Electric’s Eddystone Station was new. Eddystone started up in 1960. At that time, this was the most efficient power plant in the world. Steam conditions were at throttle pres. 5,000 psi 1,250 degree Superheat and two stages of Reheating at 1,050 degrees F. The design Heat-Rate from 1950’s technology was 8230 Btu/kWh or 41% thermal efficiency. Since that time, America’s coal fleet has held pretty steady for the “Best” coal plants. Eddystone was the “Best” in 1960 at 41% Thermal efficiency. The most recent U.S. Ultra-supercritical plants, Turk, Cliffside and Iatan are capable of about the same efficiency as Eddystone was. However, I should mention that today’s clean coal plants use much more auxiliary power to drive the Flue Gas Cleanup equipment. FGD, SCR, ESP’s, Baghouses etc. These were not yet invented when Eddystone started up and therefore were not installed at Eddystone. For new plants such as Turk to achieve similar thermal performance with the backend environmental cleanup gear represents a true advancement in the state of the art.

The above chart shows the Thermal Efficiency progress of heat engines, since the days of Edison, Tesla and Westinghouse. As can be seen on the chart, the U.S. gas turbine fleet has progressed amazingly well and has reached design capabilities of over 60% thermal efficiency.

At the end of my EPRI presentation I showed the POWER Magazine information on the Chinese Pingsham, Phase ll coal plant that is advertised as being nearly 50% efficient. This is based on steam conditions of 4,500 psi 1100 degrees F. steam temperatures with two stages of Reheat at 1100 degrees F. (close to Eddystone #1)
The EPRI Heat-Rate Conference is a technical meeting and the people in attendance are very sharp. It was quickly pointed out that the efficiency attributed to Pingsham ll of 49+% is based on fuel LHV and not HHV. Thus, the performance of Pingsham is just a couple points above the AEP Turk Plant in Arkansas. The John Turk Ultra-Supercritical coal plant went into operation in 2012 and is about 39% efficient. The steam conditions at Turk are: 3500psi throttle, 1100 degree S.H. and 1100 degree Reheat. Design Heat-Rate of Turk is 8730 Btus/kWh (39% Thermal efficiency)

My point is, the Chinese have taken advantage of all of the engineering and operational experiences gained in the U.S. and Europe and built on these developments, experiences and knowledge to provide further advancements. Even though modest, the newest Chinese coal plants are in-fact more efficient than the U.S. newest coal plants. The Turk coal plant was started up in 2012 and only one other since then. Duke Cliffside #6, 2013, which is similar overall efficiency as Turk. Another outstanding coal plant of high efficiency, built around the same time is the Prairie States Plant in Illinois.
Another point is the fact that the EPA restricted efficiency improvements for about 30 years. That is, if a U.S. coal plant implemented improvements to increase efficiency, they would be severely penalized. Now, with an energy friendly administration, the EPA “New Source Review” Rule, should not be a deterrent to implementing performance and even capacity improvements. In my view, the existing U.S. coal fleet should be capable of being upgraded in capacity, reliability, fuel flexibility and efficiency. In my Power Magazine article published in 2009, I showed several examples of plants that could be improved with new S.H. surfaces, larger fans, upgraded pulverizers and modifications such as these. The word “Upgrade” is or at least should not, be a dirty word.

The Demise of Coal Has Been Drastically Exaggerated

Borrowing Mark Twain’s quote on the premature posting of his obituary, coal is needed, it is being widely utilized and it will not be easily replaced as a form of primary energy. Here below is a chart of electricity generation 2000-2023 from the G-20 nations presented by EPRI. Electricity generation from all fuels has steadily increased and will accelerate the electricity growth during the next 20 years.

As mentioned above, the U.S. worked hard at advancing thermal power generation efficiency. Gas turbines and combined cycle plants have made great progress. However, the war on coal stopped American progress for improving coal plant efficiency which effectively stopped in 2012. On the other hand, China continued to improve coal plant efficiency. Here below is one example of applied excellence in obtaining coal plant efficiency. I should point out that the 49+% Thermal Efficiency is based on the fuel LHV. Still, a commendable effort and results to achieve overall thermal performance in the high 40’s% is the Best I am aware of.

Coal: America’s Treasure of Primary Energy, Why Not Use it?

Coal power has at least a dozen solid advantages for electricity generation. Winter Storm Fern during the week of January 30, 2026 proved the importance and resiliency of coal plants. Even older plants that have not had the optimal maintenance once practiced. For reference, here is my list of the top dozen reasons that coal power is important.

Another important reason for new coal plants is that to provide the future demand in electricity growth, it is the most viable sources of primary energy to be utilized. I wrote on this before here and here. The electricity growth forecasts all show increases of about 100 GW needed by 2030 and about 800 GW by 2050. This is a lot of power and not easily built in 25 years. For example, the Roxboro coal generating station is four units and is capable of about 2400 MW when it is in top condition. Here is a photo of Roxboro Generating Plant. The first unit started up in 1966 and the newest one about 14 years later. Over 16 years of duration from the first contract signing till the 4th and last unit became commercial. Picture building 40 plants like this in four years to achieve the needed 100 GW of new Dispatchable generation by 2030. We can hope and wish. Sadly, the limitations of the Supply-Chain of manufactured components and craftspersons make this an impossible task today.

So, what are the alternatives? Here is my view of what it will take. Nuclear is loved by everyone today. However, it took Southern Company about ten years to build Vogtle 3&4 which is about 2,200 MW of new Base Load capacity. This is a great plant, now the largest nuclear plant in the U.S., but building 14 of these each year just doesn’t seem plausible.

Conclusions

Thank you for reading this. There are numerous additional articles listed below in the references.

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, Feb. 7, 2026

The words “Modifyand Upgrade” re dirty words with the EPA for about 30 years. Thanks to a misguided EPA the U.S. existing coal plants were forbidden to be upgraded in any way other than back end environmental emission eqpment installation. Now, the EPA-NSR should no longer be a fctor. References and for further reading:

1. POWER Magazine article on “Correcting Stealth Losses in Large Coal Power Stations”: https://www.powermag.com/how-stealth-combustion-losses-lower-plant-efficiency-part-1-the-problem

2. Power Magazine, To Optimize Performance, Begin at the Pulverizers: https://www.powermag.com/to-optimize-performance-begin-at-the-pulverizers/

3. Power Magazine, Finessing Fuel Fineness: https://www.powermag.com/finessing-fuel-fineness/

4. Power Magazine, Managing Airflow to Optimize Performance: https://www.powermag.com/managing-air-to-improve-combustion-efficiency/

5. Power Magazine, To Optimize Performance, Begin at the Pulverizers: https://www.powermag.com/to-optimize-performance-begin-at-the-pulverizers/

6. POWER Magazine, “What if New Source Review Was Repealed”: https://www.powermag.com/what-if-new-source-review-were-repealed/

7. Reasons Why New Coal Plants Should be Built in America: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2026/01/28/one-hundred-twenty-quadrillion-btus-and-the-need-for-coal-to-provide-at-least-20-quads-of-americas-primary-energy-part-l/

8. Dick Storm blog on the advantages of Coal Power: https://powerfortheusa.com/2025/12/21/advantages-of-coal-fuel-for-electricity-generation/

9. Master Resource Blog: https://www.masterresource.org/heartland-institute/joe-bast-nyt-1999/

10. POWER Magazine article on Pingsham ll : https://www.powermag.com/chinas-pingshan-phase-ii-sets-new-bar-as-worlds-most-efficient-coal-power-plant/

11. ASME Engineering Milestone Historical review of Eddystone #1 325 MW Ultra-supercritical Power plant: https://www.asme.org/wwwasmeorg/media/resourcefiles/aboutasme/who%20we%20are/engineering%20history/landmarks/226-eddystone-station-unit.pdf

12. SWEPCO Fact Sheet on John Turk Plant: https://www.swepco.com/lib/docs/community/projects/TurkPowerPlantFactSheetrev3-21-13v3.pdf

13. POWER Magazine article on John Turk Coal Plant, 2013: https://www.powermag.com/aeps-john-w-turk-jr-power-plant-earns-powers-highest-honor/

14. POWER Magazine article on Iatan #2 Coal Plant, 2011: https://www.powermag.com/plant-of-the-yearkcpls-iatan-2-earns-powers-highest-honor/

15. POWER Magazine article on Duke Energy Cliffside Coal Plant: https://www.powermag.com/cliffside-steam-station-unit-6-cliffside-north-carolina/

16. POWER Magazine, Top Plant, Prairie State Top Plant 2013: https://www.powermag.com/prairie-state-energy-campus-washington-county-illinois/

17 . Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack which Published article on the Enormity of 100 Quadrillion BTUs: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-enormity-of-100-quadrillion-btus?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

18. Stu Turley, Energy News beat on Grid Risks, Feb. , 2026: https://theenergynewsbeat.substack.com/cp/186686693

19. EPA New Source Review settlements: https://www.gem.wiki/EPA_Coal_Plant_Settlements

20. EPA Settlements on NSR violations by WEPCO 2003: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/wisconsin-electric-power-company-wepco-clean-air-act-civil-settlement

21. Dissertation on the Sierra Club Success of Beyond Coal Campaign 2020: https://www.proquest.com/openview/b734be1b4fa402463fbb2ee03a7993e5/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

22. Inside the War on Coal Politico, The Agenda 2015: https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/inside-war-on-coal-000002/

#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Fossil Fuels are Important, Keeping America Great

One Hundred Twenty Quadrillion BTUs and The Need for Coal to Provide at Least 20 Quads of America’s Primary Energy-Part 1

January 28, 2026 dickstormprobizblog and dickstormenergyelectricity.org Leave a comment

Coal fuel should be included in the future electricity generation portfolio based on the laws of physics, available forms of primary energy, proven economics of electric power generation and the proven track record of coal power for providing reliable, dispatchable and affordable electricity generation. The CO2 Coalition’s Angela Wheeler interviewed me for the CO2 Coalitions Podcast, “Climate De-Brief” and here are my views of the absurd anti-American energy policies, many of which are still strangling President Trump’s path to restoring America’s Greatness. Energy is, in fact, The LifeBlood of Our Economy.

Part 1:
https://youtu.be/LYcJFIhxTe0?si=eyJwQcYy7Cruwkib
Part 2:
https://youtu.be/GrmXdpNGiUw?si=hi_Cr0EfeZICxPzI

Coal as an Important Source of Primary Energy

This article will attempt to show some of the reasons why based on the merits of coal why it should be increased as in the portfolio of reliable sources of primary energy.
Speaking of BTUs, I would like to start with describing the potential sources of the primary energy America needs and is using now to supply 100 quadrillion BTUs of primary energy.

Back to Basics: Let’s Look at the Available Sources of Primary Energy

From a primary energy viewpoint, America has used right at 100 quadrillion BTUs of energy each year since about the year 2000.

This includes all forms of energy including oil, gas, coal, nuclear and renewables. As more AI Data Centers are built, more manufacturing is reshored, more EVs placed on the highways and greater electrification is transitioned across the economy, the demand for total primary energy is expected to increase. Coal is the most practical, achievable and available addition to provide 10-30 quadrillion BTUs more per annum of growing primary energy supply. Do you remember the phrase from a couple years ago, “Electrify Everything”? Let’s get back to the basics of Primary energy and then look at the incredibly huge contribution of conventional fuels. Also, the diminutive contribution of wind and solar.

Conventional forms of energy, that is those forms of energy we have depended on for the last hundred years, still provide well over 90% of the Primary energy that we need for our economy to thrive and to power our lives.

The Enormity of 100 Quadrillion BTUs

The statistics of energy use, fuel sources, electricity generation, plant efficiencies and much more are well understood by people who read this. However, outside of our energy professional’s network there are millions of Americans that have low energy IQ’s. Some of the low energy IQ individuals create national energy policy. As a result of indoctrination by renewable energy proponents many Americans believe that wind and solar can replace coal, gas and yes, even nuclear.

The public in general, has a very weak understanding of the generation of electricity and how it is managed. Therefore, I thought I would describe in understandable terms; primary energy, electricity and the enormity of 100 Quadrillion BTUs. Perhaps this will reach people and politicians that are otherwise unaware of the magnitude of the primary energy supplied by conventional forms of energy which we absolutely need to power our lives.

Reliable, Dispatchable and affordable Electric power generation is the Life-Blood of any country’s economy. The source of most of the electric power generation for most of the industrialized world since the Industrial Revolution has been Thermal Power generation. Even in the western countries that have attempted to transition to carbon free sources of electric power generation, thermal power continues to dominate. For the year 2024 about 76% of the electric power production was from thermal power. The primary energy of over 90 quadrillion BTUs was provided by coal, gas, nuclear, oil and Biomass.

One of the advantages of Thermal generation is just about all forms of Thermal power are dispatchable on demand. Gas turbines and Reciprocating gas engines obviously respond faster than a pulverized coal or nuclear unit, but most of the thermal power plants are in fact, dispatchable.

The demand for electricity is growing. The quantity of growth in the future in debatable however, most experts agree, electricity demand is growing and U.S. growth may require as much as 100 GW of new generation by 2030 and 800 GW of new generation by 2040. Limited battery backup is available for intermittent renewables. Proven sources of dependable, affordable and dispatchable power are needed for grid reliability.

Gas fuel provides 43% of America’s electric power generation. Nuclear is now accepted by almost everyone. However, deploying 100 GW of new nuclear power generation by 2030 is unrealistic, given the record of permitting and construction times from recent new nuclear power plants such as Vogtle 3 and 4 which took about 10 years to build. In the U.S. nuclear power provided about 808 TWh of electricity out of about 4200 TWh total or about 19%. This is commendable, however, most of the U.S. nuclear plants were built decades ago and are an average age of about 42.

Think about the need of 100 GW of new power generation by 2030. If the growth in supply was all nuclear, 100 GW would be equivalent to completing 45 new nuclear units the size of Vogtle units #3 & 4 in four years, if started today.

Included in the heading “Conventional Energy” is Hydro. Why? Because it is important, it is dispatchable and it has been around for well over 100 years. Therefore, in my view, it qualifies as being conventional. When hydropower is included with thermal power, the total Primary Energy from conventional sources exceeds 90%.

This is the primary energy that generates electricity, provides ground and air transportation, commercial & Residential heating, cooling, cooking and very importantly, industrial production. Electricity generation consumes between 33 to 40% of the world’s total primary energy.

Electrify everything was the buzz phrase of a few years ago. Let’s look at the enormity of replacing the conventional fuels we all depend on now.

Thermal electric power generation dominates U.S. electricity generation. Gas fuel has taken the lead from coal since about 2010. The total Thermal power generation in the U.S. in 2024 was about 76% Thermal generation.

The Enormity of BTUs Measured in Quadrillions

About 43% of America’s electricity was generated from pipeline supplied natural gas in 2025. It is hard to visualize 33 Quadrillion BTUs of methane, so I thought showing huge LNG tanker ships might be a way to describe the challenge of increasing America’s total Primary energy consumption from the current @ 100 Quads to the range of 120 Quads by 2050.

How About Coal?

In the year 2008 America consumed about 20 Quadrillion BTUs of coal generated electricity. Since then natural gas use has overtaken coal’s #1 position and coal in 2025 generated about 16% of America’s electricity and consumed about 10 Quadrillion BTUs. Coal has been demonized by many and is not perceived by the public to be the Treasure of American energy that I believe it is.

However, from the standpoints of physics, economics, proven track record, dispatchability, energy storage and reliability….Coal is an important fuel for the next twenty or thirty years. Here are thirteen advantages of coal as a source of primary energy for electricity generation:

Coal Power is Proven Here and Now
Energy Density
Reliable
Affordable and has the best record of low cost electricity production over the long term
On-Site Fuel Storage for months
Dispatchable
Coal Plants are Robust and have a long life when properly maintained
The Manufacturing Supply-Chain is Established
America is the Saudi Arabia of Coal and has hundreds of year supply
Operations and Maintenance Training and Protocols are Established
Manufacturers, EPRI and Training companies all have an established library of Best O&M practices
Flyash/Bottom Ash Use as Concrete Additive for Strength and resistance to spalling, FGD sludge byproduct used for sheetrock and also a source of Rare Earth Minerals
Modern Coal Plants are clean and the emissions of major pollutants have been corrected with backend pollution control equipment. The six main pollutants have been reduced since 1970 in spite of increases in GDP, Population, auto miles driven and greater use of energy in all forms. The EPA chart below shows the progress achieved.

Conclusions

Wind and Solar are the Highest Cost Power and Cannot Meet Demand
More Dispatchable Bulk Power Plants Need to be Built
Coal, Gas and Nuclear Plants provide the lowest cost, most reliable Power
States and Countries on Path to Net-Zero Carbon are Paying a high price
Natural Gas Prices will likely rise in the future
Electricity prices will rise with fuel cost as well as from inflation of components and construction costs.
Production prices of electricity will follow fuel cost
A Balanced Generation portfolio is Beneficial as a Hedge Against Fuel Cost Volatility
America should learn from the experiences of Germany, CA, Hawaii, CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ and other states with high electricity costs
States and countries that have shut down coal plants have experienced increased electricity production costs. This is not a forecast, this is fact
Building new clean coal plants are needed to continue America’s excellent record of providing reliable electricity at affordable costs.
Coal is the default fuel to increase America’s Primary energy supply beyond 120 Quadrillion BTUs in the next decade

Part ll will cover electric power generation in the rest of the world and some of the advances of clean coal power generation.

Thank you for reading this and very truly yours,

Dick Storm, January 28, 2025

References and Info for further reading:

EIA on Coal Power Generation updated January 2026: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67084&utm_medium=email
FIVE REASONS TO BUILD NEW COAL PLANTS NOW! COAL SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS A CRITICAL FUEL TO POWER AMERICA’S FUTURE, SEPT. 24, 2025: HTTPS://DICKSTORMPROBIZBLOG.ORG/2025/09/24/FIVE-REASONS-TO-BUILD-NEW-COAL-PLANTS-NOW-COAL-SHOULD-BE-INCLUDED-AS-A-CRITICAL-FUEL-TO-POWER-AMERICAS-FUTURE/
Ten Hard Truths of Electricity Generation in South Carolina, the Life-Blood of the Economy, Oct. 8, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/10/08/ten-hard-truths-of-s-c-electricity-the-lifeblood-of-the-economy/
Reality of Building 32,000 MW of New Generation Capacity/Year. Solutions; Build New Coal Plants Now!, https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/10/22/reality-of-32000-mw-year-of-new-generation-demand-solution-build-new-coal-plants-now/
EIA Most of new generation capacity in 2025 from Solar, Aug. 20, 2025: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65964&utm_medium=email
WSJ on Wind and Solar subsidies, Aug. 21, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/why-solar-and-wind-power-can-thrive-without-subsidies-cee47663
Why are California Electricity Prices So High?, Sub Stack: https://open.substack.com/pub/mestes/p/why-are-californias-electricity-prices?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Excellent article by Tilak Doshi, Renewables are Not Cheap, Dec. 2025, WUWT, https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/12/06/time-to-stop-pretending-renewables-are-cheap/
Energy Bad Boys article on Electricity, Highest Rates in Red and Blue States, Dec. 13, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/blue-states-high-rates?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Energy Bad Boys Great Chart of Electricity Prices by States, Dec. 27, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/visualizing-2026?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Failures of the renewables transition era are insults to taxpayers.
The worlds’ population depends on insulation, wires, computers, and fertilizers that “renewables” cannot provide.
Published September 1, 2025, in America Out Loud NEWS
https://www.americaoutloud.news/failures-of-the-renewables-transition-era-are-insults-to-taxpayers/
Inside Climate News on Maryland Matters of Why Electric Costs are Escalating: https://marylandmatters.org/2025/09/01/why-prices-are-soaring-in-the-countrys-largest-grid-region-explained-in-5-charts/
GRIDWATCH Australia
AT 6.30 PM eastern time THE WIND WAS CONTRIBUTING 13% OF DEMAND IN THE EAST
AND 2.5% IN THE WEST OH DEAR!!
https://www.nem-watch.info/widgets/RenewEconomy/
WHAT ABOUT TEXAS?
https://www.gridstatus.io/live/ercot
BRITAIN
https://grid.iamkate.com/
PJM https://www.pjm.com
MISO https://www.misoenergy.org
Ed Ireland on TX wind and solar: https://substack.com/@edireland
Interview with Dave Walsh on Bannon War Room, Rumble, Sept 5, 2025: https://rumble.com/v6yif84-walsh-91-of-new-capacity-power-being-built-this-year-is-solar-and-a-little-.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp_a
Tom Shepstone Sub-Stack on Massachusetts high electric rates: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/political-reality-descends-upon-massachusetts?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Tom Shepstone on POSIGEN Failure in PA, Sept. 8, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/posigen-provides-yet-another-example?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Tom Shepstone on Wind and Solar after OBBB, Sept. 9, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/are-the-days-of-solar-stupidity-coming?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Energy Bad Boys on Electricity Rates Rising due to Renewables, yet, Trump is blamed: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/the-number-one-reason-trumps-policies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
HeatMap Newsletter: https://heatmap.news/politics/electricity-price-politics#
POWER, Sept. 2025 on cost of solar and wind: https://www.powermag.com/solar-and-winds-hidden-price-tag-why-cost-isnt-the-whole-story/
Fraser Institute on solar and wind cost: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/solar-and-wind-power-make-electricity-more-expensive-thats-a-fact
Daily Caller, Sept. 2025: https://ijr.com/frank-lasee-how-wind-and-solar-are-quietly-inflating-electricity-bills/
Forbes, Yes, Wind and Solar do Increase Electricity Prices: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2018/04/25/yes-solar-and-wind-really-do-increase-electricity-prices-and-for-inherently-physical-reasons/
America’s Coal: https://americascoal.substack.com/p/estimating-the-real-cost-of-electricity
IER on cost of solar and wind: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/rising-bills-bad-blame-whats-really-driving-electricity-prices/
Energy Policy Research Chart of world electricity prices 2024. Excellent: https://eprinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/COW2024-34-USAndEuropeanHouseholdElectricityPrices.pdf
EPI Charts: https://eprinc.org/chart-of-the-week/?gf_protect_submission=1
Inside Climate, Great State by State chart: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/which-states-getting-hit-hardest-electricity-price-qybsc/
EIA FERC Electricity and Energy Data, Sept. 2025: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/current_month/september2025.pdf
Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/tags/inside-clean-energy/
Excellent Paper on the Cost of Wind and Solar across the World, Oct. 5, 2025: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-renewable-energy-honeymoon-starting-is-easy-the-rest-is-hard/
Clintel report in WUWT, Jan. 3, 2026: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/01/03/think-tank-iref-against-all-rationality-the-eu-persists-in-its-net-zero-delusion/
WUWT on the UK Wind Subsidies hit record high CFd’s Jan. 20, 2026: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/01/20/cfd-subsidies-hit-record-high-in-2025/
Australia’s Path to Net Zero :
https://open.substack.com/pub/chrisuhlmann/p/the-state-vs-the-people?r=1bynvt&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
Bjorn Lomberg: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bjornlomborg_nytimes-and-many-other-suggest-that-the-more-activity-7350118091680313344-CTSF?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
Bjorn Lomberg on high cost of solar and wind: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bjornlomborg_the-expensive-green-delusion-despite-green-activity-7331637580842594304-yJtG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
Substack article by Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling on Solar with Battery Backup, July 5^th, 2025:https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/the-baseload-solar-beatdown
Substack by Orr and Rolling in 2024 on the Myth of Cheap Solar: https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/how-to-destroy-the-myth-of-cheap
EIA List of Electricity Rates by State: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a
https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
Thomas J. Shepstone on Why Do Wind and Solar Need Subsidies if they are so Cheap?: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/why-are-solar-and-wind-still-government?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Electricity Rates of World: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/cost-of-electricity-by-country
IEA Global Energy Review, Electricity 2025: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2025/electricity
Global Petroleum, Electricity Prices of World: https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/electricity_prices/
Electricity Rates by U.S. State: https://electricityrates.com/electricity-rates-by-state/
POWER article on China High Efficiency Coal Plants: https://www.powermag.com/chinas-pingshan-phase-ii-sets-new-bar-as-worlds-most-efficient-coal-power-plant/
Advancements in Steam Turbine design, POWER Magazine: https://www.powermag.com/advancements-in-steam-turbine-efficiency-for-modern-power-generation-reducing-costs-and-emissions/
Area of states for reference of solar or wind land requirements: https://the50unitedstates.com/state-sizes
EIA Electricity consumption in 2022 : https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/use-of-electricity.php
ICF Electricity Load Growth Forecast to 2030 and 2050: https://www.icf.com/insights/energy/electricity-demand-expected-to-grow
IEEE Spectrum on the April 2025 Blackout in Spain: https://spectrum.ieee.org/spain-grid-failure
EIA Gas Prices Jan. 2026: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67046&utm_medium=email
Here is an absolutely nutty proposal, replace a reliable 2700 MW coal plant, (the Sherco Coal Plant) with solar panels. This is Minnesota where it gets very cold and also is known for heavy snowfall in the winter…, CNN report: https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/16/climate/coal-to-solar-minnesota
Energy Bad Boys on Electricity Rates Rising due to Renewables, yet, Trump is blamed: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/the-number-one-reason-trumps-policies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
HeatMap Newsletter: https://heatmap.news/politics/electricity-price-politics#
POWER, Sept. 2025 on cost of solar and wind: https://www.powermag.com/solar-and-winds-hidden-price-tag-why-cost-isnt-the-whole-story/
Fraser Institute on solar and wind cost: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/solar-and-wind-power-make-electricity-more-expensive-thats-a-fact
Daily Caller, Sept. 2025: https://ijr.com/frank-lasee-how-wind-and-solar-are-quietly-inflating-electricity-bills/
Forbes, Yes, Wind and Solar do Increase Electricity Prices: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2018/04/25/yes-solar-and-wind-really-do-increase-electricity-prices-and-for-inherently-physical-reasons/
America’s Coal: https://americascoal.substack.com/p/estimating-the-real-cost-of-electricity
IER on cost of solar and wind: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/rising-bills-bad-blame-whats-really-driving-electricity-prices/
Energy Policy Research Chart of world electricity prices 2024. Excellent: https://eprinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/COW2024-34-USAndEuropeanHouseholdElectricityPrices.pdf
EPI Charts: https://eprinc.org/chart-of-the-week/?gf_protect_submission=1
Inside Climate, Great State by State chart: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/which-states-getting-hit-hardest-electricity-price-qybsc/
EIA FERC Electricity and Energy Data, Sept. 2025: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/current_month/september2025.pdf
Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/tags/inside-clean-energy/
Excellent Paper on the Cost of Wind and Solar across the World, Oct. 5, 2025: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-renewable-energy-honeymoon-starting-is-easy-the-rest-is-hard/
Clintel report in WUWT, Jan. 3, 2026: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/01/03/think-tank-iref-against-all-rationality-the-eu-persists-in-its-net-zero-delusion/
WUWT on the UK Wind Subsidies hit record high CFd’s Jan. 20, 2026: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/01/20/cfd-subsidies-hit-record-high-in-2025/
Australia’s Path to Net Zero : https://open.substack.com/pub/chrisuhlmann/p/the-state-vs-the-people?r=1bynvt&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay

#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Western Civilization

Reality of 32,000 MW/Year of New Generation Demand. Solution: Build New Coal Plants Now!

October 22, 2025 dickstormprobizblog and dickstormenergyelectricity.org 1 Comment

Bulk Power Supply & Primary Energy:

The term BULK POWER means just that, Bulk Power in hundreds and thousands of Megawatts. America needs huge Bulk Power generation additions of about 30,000 MW per year, not small scale R&D projects of variable generation or unproven new SMRs. Perhaps some time in the future renewables and new nuclear will be viable and competitive. However for now, we need 100-800 GW of new electricity generation to replace the more than 200 GW of reliable coal plants that were either shut down or planned for shut down soon. Satisfying the growing electricity demand of the future requires lots (Lots= 30,000 MW each year) of new generation capable of 24/7 generation.

When I joined CP&L in 1973 I entered a door emblazoned with a sign: Bulk Power Supply. Then I thought the name odd and frankly, I have not seen it since. However behind that door were the men and women that managed the generation assets of CP&L which at the time was only about 5,000 MW. The Bulk Power Supply came from seven fossil plants. Those plants were; Cape Fear, Weatherspooon, H.F. Lee, Sutton, Roxboro, Asheville and Robinson, including (1973) one lone nuclear (H.B. Robinson #2) and some small hydroelectric plants in the western corner of N.C. Bulk Power Supply was measured in Megawatts. Many of those coal units (CP&L has been absorbed into Duke Energy of the Carolinas) have been shut down. Most of them have been demolished as shown on the video of the Sutton plant implosion.

These coal plants should have been replaced with new coal generation plants of higher efficiency and even better flue gas cleaning. America is paying a price which will rise further, for the loss of this vital generation capacity without replacing it in kind.

The Bulk Power Supply of America needs to grow by about 800 GW by 2050. Increasing the Bulk Power Supply is a huge challenge which has been vastly underestimated. Do the math. Building new 800,000 MW of capacity in 25 years is 32,000 MW per year of new dispatchable, reliable and affordable new capacity.

Unfortunately, I think many Utilities and government officials have under-estimated the enormity of building 800 GW of new power generation. I tried to lay out my perspective in a presentation to the Coal Institute in July. 800 GW of new generation capacity is equivalent to building over 325 coal plants the size of Duke Energy’s Roxboro Coal Plant (2462 MW) or building 360 new nuclear units such as Southern Company’s Vogtle Units # 3 & 4. (2200 MW)

How About the Primary Energy to Generate 800 GW of New Electricity Generation?

As mentioned above, many experienced authors of energy and electricity generation do not dwell on the importance of primary energy, so I will. Primary energy is not magic and it is not free as the proponents for wind and solar suggest.

The results are now in for “the Global Science Project” of experimentation with wind and solar aka “The Green New Deal”. One simply has to observe the actual electricity prices in Germany, Hawaii, Spain, California, the UK and Scandinavia to know that wind and solar cost more, are not reliable and of course they are not dispatchable.

Primary Energy

Electricity is secondary energy, it must be produced from Primary energy. In the vernacular of physics one Kilowatt hour of electricity is equivalent to 3,412.6 BTUs of thermal energy. Thermal energy has proven to be the most reliable, dispatchable and affordable. The reporting of Total Energy use by countries and the world is usually done in BTUs for U.S. customary units or in Exajoules in International units. The total world, according to the IEA has used right at 600 Exajoules (rounded from 592) and is shown below in a graphic from the Visual Capitalist. The conversion of EJ to Quadrillion BTU is EJ x 0.9478=QBTU. Example 592 EJ x 0.9478= 562 Quadrillion BTU.

The U.S. uses almost one fifth of the world’s primary energy. A reminder that economic prosperity is driven by energy. America is still the world’s #1 economy and therefore it should not be a surprise that we use almost a fifth of the world’s total primary energy consumption. This is Primary energy used not only for electricity generation but also for transportation, Industrial production, heating, cooking and commercial uses. Remember the phrase “Electrify Everything?”

The First Prerequisite to a thriving economy is that there must be available, reliable and affordable Primary energy to generate that electricity.

America Uses about 100 Quadrillion BTUs Annually of Primary Energy

The LLNL Sankey Diagram shown below details the Primary Energy flows from sources to consumption. The U.S. has used right at 100 Quadrillion BTUs for the last 20 years. A little more than a third of total primary energy is used for electricity generation. (37.7%)

The chart above is from 2022. The one below from 2009. I used this chart in a presentation to the ASME in 2011 to attempt to impress the members with the importance of coal. At the time, America was using coal for about 45% of our electricity generation and the primary energy used to generate that power was about 20 Quadrillion BTUs of coal fuel. As can be seen from the two charts, natural gas increased about 10 Quads and coal decreased a similar amount. Basically, substituting natural gas for coal power production.

Self Sabotaging of the U.S. Bulk Power Supply

Since President Obama’s two term escalated war on coal over 50% of America’s reliable, affordable, Dispatchable and energy secure power generation has been shut down. I have called this self-sabotage. Mostly as a result of Federal Regulations, especially the politically inspired (not based on human health or science) EPA Endangerment Finding. But also due to NGOs and other voices working very effectively to demonize coal power. America had the most reliable, least expensive electricity supply in 2010 and the forces against coal power have steadily weakened our energy security, reliability and affordability. Electricity prices are climbing and will continue to do so as more unreliable, variable generation is forced onto the Grid, and backed up by natural gas fuel. Low prices of natural gas are not guaranteed into the future and fuel is the major cost component for thermal power generation. If the fuel cost doubles, so does the production cost of electricity.

The chart below from the IEEFA shows the path of coal free power generation. Some states and countries are ahead of my state of S.C. and the electricity costs in those states that have shut down their coal plants has escalated sharply. Germany has suffered from significant De-Industrialization as a result of forcing wind and solar on the nation. If America continues the path set by Net-Zero Carbon advocates, we all will join Hawaii, California, Spain, Germany, the UK, Massachusetts and Connecticut with higher cost power and possible de-industrialization.

Thanks to President Trump and Chris Wright, America’s energy regulatory policy is somewhat corrected. However, some states, even S.C. still have laws on the books to exit coal. I feel this is energy suicide. Coal is a national treasure that should be utilized. In fact, in my opinion, it is the best and only viable choice of primary energy to provide the needed electricity generation between now and 2050. A coal plant should be able to be built in four years. We have done it before and can do it again!

The Future 2025-2050

Electricity generation capacity will need to increase dramatically over the next 25 years. The projected growth has been well documented by many others including Stephen Heins, Thomas J. Shepstone, Jr., the ICF, NEMA and others. What is needed is an enormous amount of new, Dispatchable, reliable and affordable Bulk Power. About 800,000 MW of new Bulk Power. he workforce challenge is a topic to cover on another day.In my analysis, nuclear will play an important part. So will natural gas. However, there are three limits to just how much nuclear and natural gas can supply. These three constraints are Supply-Chain, pipelines and achieving a Balanced generation portfolio. The nuclear supply chain limits have been discussed before and although proven and an excellent clean choice, nuclear seems decades away before the needed capacity can be built. For example, it took America over 30 years (1957-1987) to design and build the existing nuclear fleet of about 97,000 MW of capacity. We now need eight times the nuclear fleet that was built over 30 years. Keep in mind, the legacy nuclear units built 1957-1987 were constructed when the Supply-Chain was well established, there were thousands of trained and experienced engineers at B&W, Combustion-Engineering and Westinghouse and craftsmen were much more abundant in the workforce. Many experienced engineers and craftsmen are now retired. Rebuilding the workforce is a topic for another day.

“Just in Time” Primary Energy

Today about 45% of the U.S. electricity generation at peak times is provided by natural gas through “just in time” pipelines. Not only is the Supply-Chain of new gas turbine plants limited but so are the pipelines and fuel supply. In my analysis, we already have too much dependence on pipeline provided natural gas. Remember the Colonial Pipeline Hack of 2021? Coal plants have the inherent advantage of being capable of storing several months of fuel on site.

The best choice for a Balanced Portfolio then, in my analysis is to build new coal plants. In Dick Storm’s Perfect World of Power Generation, I would like to see a Balanced generation portfolio of 30% coal, nuclear, gas, with 10% renewables. Illustration from the Coal Institute presentation.

Conclusion

The policy planners and utilities have gravely underestimated the growth of electricity Demand and now are catching up by using the “Easy Button” of purchasing gas turbines for backup power for wind and solar. Most of the capital being invested in new generation in this calendar year is for solar, wind and BESS (Battery Electricity Storage). This is a mistake that will cost Americans dearly.

President Trump, Chris Wright and Lee Zeldin have done the best they can to correct decades of poor flawed planning by the EPA and Congress with the Inflation Recovery Act version of the New Green Deal. However, many states and large Utilities still remain on a foolish path toward Net-Zero Carbon. For example, Here are five articles on U.S. and South Carolina Energy Policies:

SWAMP People and Organizations Against Making America Great, Foreign and Domestic https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/08/07/swamp-people-and-organizations-against-making-america-great-foreign-domestic/
Swamp Opposition to President Trump’s America First Agenda, Published by Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/fighting-the-swamp-and-our-enemies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Some Red States Still Embrace the Green New deal, Including the Usually Conservative State of S.C. Sept. 8, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/09/08/some-red-states-still-embrace-the-green-new-deal-including-usually-conservative-south-carolina/
FIVE REASONS TO BUILD NEW COAL PLANTS NOW! COAL SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS A CRITICAL FUEL TO POWER AMERICA’S FUTURE, SEPT. 24, 2025: HTTPS://DICKSTORMPROBIZBLOG.ORG/2025/09/24/FIVE-REASONS-TO-BUILD-NEW-COAL-PLANTS-NOW-COAL-SHOULD-BE-INCLUDED-AS-A-CRITICAL-FUEL-TO-POWER-AMERICAS-FUTURE/
Ten Hard Truths of Electricity Generation in South Carolina, the Life-Blood of the Economy, Oct. 8, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/10/08/ten-hard-truths-of-s-c-electricity-the-lifeblood-of-the-economy/

America needs to begin building new Dispatchable, affordable and proven reliable Bulk Power Generation as soon as possible. As I see it, the best source of the needed primary energy to satisfy the demand is America’s own treasure of coal reserves. Think about the needed capacity in terms of 32,000 MW per year for 25 years. That my friends is a heavy lift. As a country we must unite behind President Trump to get this done…Wake up Americans!

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, October 22, 2025

References and Further Reading:

The Coal Institute Presentation by Dick Storm, July 2025: http://thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
Institute for Energy, Economic and Financial Analysis. on Coal Plant retirements since 2011: https://ieefa.org/resources/us-track-close-half-coal-capacity-2026
Duke Energy Carolinas, Demolition video of Sutton Unit #3, Nov. 2016: https://youtu.be/miSapiaJTpM
The Coal Institute, Dick Storm presentation, July 2025: http://www.thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
Dr. John Constable on the Importance of Energy, You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scYlWiunJo4
The Ancestry of Energy by Pandreco: https://open.substack.com/pub/pandreco/p/the-ancestry-of-energy?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
WSJ-Rahm Emanuel Opinion, Sept 17, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/rising-electricity-price-thank-trump-2270cf1f?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1
WSJ counter point to Rahm Emanuel OpEd, Sept. 21, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/big-electric-bill-thank-the-energy-subsidies-emanuel-trump-50d1dcd8?mod=opinion_more_article_pos32
Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling on wind, solar and gas cause electricity prices to rise: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/rising-natural-gas-costs-make-wind?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Devil’s Algorithm and Climate Matrix: https://open.substack.com/pub/tilakdoshi/p/the-devils-algorithm-unplugging-from?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Energy Charts on Germany: https://www.energy-charts.info/charts/energy_pie/chart.htm?l=en&c=DE
Ember Charts and Energy Info on worldwide energy use: https://ember-energy.org/data/electricity-data-explorer/?data=generation https://ember-energy.org/data/electricity-data-explorer/?data=generation&entity=United+States
Tom Shepstone Sub-Stack on Massachusetts high electric rates: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/political-reality-descends-upon-massachusetts?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Tom Shepstone on POSIGEN Failure in PA, Sept. 8, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/posigen-provides-yet-another-example?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Tom Shepstone on Wind and Solar after OBBB, Sept. 9, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/are-the-days-of-solar-stupidity-coming?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Energy Bad Boys on Electricity Rates Rising due to Renewables, yet, Trump is blamed: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/the-number-one-reason-trumps-policies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
HeatMap Newsletter: https://heatmap.news/politics/electricity-price-politics#
POWER, Sept. 2025 on cost of solar and wind: https://www.powermag.com/solar-and-winds-hidden-price-tag-why-cost-isnt-the-whole-story/
Fraser Institute on solar and wind cost: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/solar-and-wind-power-make-electricity-more-expensive-thats-a-fact
Daily Caller, Sept. 2025: https://ijr.com/frank-lasee-how-wind-and-solar-are-quietly-inflating-electricity-bills/
Forbes, Yes, Wind and Solar do Increase Electricity Prices: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2018/04/25/yes-solar-and-wind-really-do-increase-electricity-prices-and-for-inherently-physical-reasons/
America’s Coal: https://americascoal.substack.com/p/estimating-the-real-cost-of-electricity
IER on cost of solar and wind: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/rising-bills-bad-blame-whats-really-driving-electricity-prices/
Energy Policy Research Chart of world electricity prices 2024. Excellent: https://eprinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/COW2024-34-USAndEuropeanHouseholdElectricityPrices.pdf
EPI Charts: https://eprinc.org/chart-of-the-week/?gf_protect_submission=1
Inside Climate, Great State by State chart: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/which-states-getting-hit-hardest-electricity-price-qybsc/
EIA FERC Electricity and Energy Data, Sept. 2025: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/current_month/september2025.pdf
Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/tags/inside-clean-energy/
Excellent Paper on the Cost of Wind and Solar across the World, Oct. 5, 2025: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-renewable-energy-honeymoon-starting-is-easy-the-rest-is-hard/
Threats to the Electric Grid, Update, May 25, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
Colonial Pipeline Hack, 2021: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/attack-colonial-pipeline-what-weve-learned-what-weve-done-over-past-two-years
Mitch Rolling on Wind and Solar, Oct. 18, 2025: https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/more-is-less-with-wind-and-solar
Watts Up With That, Oct 2$, 2025, What Green Transition? Coal Use Continues to Rise: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/10/24/green-transition-coal-use-hits-record-high/
American Public Power on Electricity Growth to 2050: https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/study-sees-dramatic-rise-us-power-demand-2050

#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Fossil Fuels are Important, Regulations

Five Reasons to Build New Coal Plants NOW! Coal Should Be Included as A Critical Fuel to Power America’s Future

September 24, 2025 dickstormprobizblog and dickstormenergyelectricity.org 1 Comment

We can call it a “Bridge Fuel” or just face the reality that it now takes over 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy to Power America each year and that Primary Energy Demand will increase in the future. America is the Saudi Arabia of coal and we have the richest and highest quality coal on the planet. Also, an infrastructure to mine it and to transport it. This treasure should be utilized for the benefit of America and all of Humankind.

There are many reasons that new Base Load coal power plants should be under construction right now. In fact, they should have been under construction ten years ago!

Dick Storm’s Top Five Reasons to Build New coal Plants Now:

Electric Power Demand is Soaring and Coal has proven to be reliable and affordable
Coal power plants of sufficient Base Load Generation capacity could be built within ten years or less
Coal fuel cost is stable with less volatility than gas
America has more than sufficient coal reserves within our borders to fuel new coal power plants at a stable price
America’s Primary Energy Demand is likely to exceed 120 Quadrillion BTUs per year in the next decade. Coal will provide the additional productive capacity and it has been proven to do so by existing infrastructure

Choices of Primary Energy to Fuel the World

Global energy demand hit a record 592 exajoules (EJ) in 2024 — up 2%.

So, where did it come from?
• Oil: 199 EJ (33.6%) – still the #1 source
• Coal: 27.9%
• Gas: 25.2%

Fossil Fuels are Still Important!
Together, oil, coal, and gas supplied 86.7% of global energy. Despite the MSM reports, these three fuels still provide the primary energy we need and depend on.

🔥 Keeping the lights on
🥘 Cooking our food
🚗 Driving us to work
❄️ Powering our fridges and hospitals
🏠 Keeping us warm

Powers the manufacturing that in-turn, powers the Economy
👨‍🌾 Keeping us alive

Vaclav Smil shows that at least half of humanity is fed by nitrogen based fertilizers — made using natural gas via the Haber-Bosch process. That’s ~4 billion people who simply couldn’t survive without hydrocarbons. Add to that the energy needed for water, hospitals, heating, and transport, and the death toll from eliminating oil, coal, and gas overnight would not be in the millions — but in the billions.

Our much maligned Hydrocarbons don’t boast about this. They just work quietly to keep us alive. Each American uses right at 300 million BTUs each year. This is an average of just under 1 million BTU/day/person.

President Trump stated it correctly at the U.N. yesterday, “Climate Policies are a big Con Job” The only thing that the transition to solar and wind has done is to drive our electric bills through the roof and causing hardship and suffering amongst our most vulnerable.

🔌 Let’s not forget the reality of the sources of PRIMARY Energy that powers the world

Electricity Generation

About a third of the primary energy is used to generate electricity and the other 2/3’s for Transportation, Industrial, Commercial and Residential use.

America uses and has used right at 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy annually. The total of 100 Quads is bound to grow in the future owing to natural electricity demand growth of a growing population, electricfication of some transportation, through reshoring of U.S. manufacturing and AI Data Center new electricity Demand. Note from the chart below the relatively constant total Primary Energy use. It is within 5% of a constant 100 Quadrillion BTUs per year ever since about the year 2000. In my opinion, it is reasonable to expect the total primary energy demand to increase by at least 20% over the next 20 years.

Visual Capitalist has another excellent illustration of projected U.S. Electricity growth to 2050. Please keep in mind, electricity uses between 33 and 40% of available primary energy. Therefore, considering all factors, including energy security, volatility of natural gas prices, exported LNG and other facts, coal provides the readily available primary energy to generate electricity in the needed Bulk Power quantities.

Electricity is important and so is transportation, residential heating, cooking and Industrial production from viable manufacturing plants.

Conclusion

The best solution to the self inflicted electricity generation crisis is to immediately begin building new coal plants. Over 150 new coal plants were planned in 2007, then President Obama launched his all out “War on Coal” and he was successful in stopping most of them from being constructed and even worse, created policies that resulted in the shutting down and demolishing over half of the existing coal power generation capacity.

The Life-Blood of America is electricity. I presented my thoughts on this in July at the Coal Institute summer meeting. I stand behind those comments and recommendations.

Thankfully we now have President Trump and he understands the relationship of reliable, affordable electricity generation. His speech to the U.N. yesterday was spot on. May God Bless and protect President Trump and his outstanding Cabinet.

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, September 23, 2025

References and for further research of the facts:

EIA sources of Primary Energy 1950-2024: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65524
Visual Capitalist on Primary Energy used in the World: https://www.voronoiapp.com/energy/What-Powered-the-World-in-2024–6217
EIA U.S. Primary Energy use 1950-2024: https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/browser/index.php?tbl=T01.01#/?f=A&start=1949&end=2024&charted=4-6-7-14
POWER Magazine June 2006 Cover Story, Coal Fired Plant Capacity Continues to Increase : https://www.powermag.com/cover-story-coal-fired-electric-power-capacity-continues-to-increase/
Global Energy Monitor Proposed Coal Plants Planned in 2007: https://www.gem.wiki/Proposed_coal_plants_in_the_United_States
Global Energy Monitor https://www.gem.wiki/Category:Proposed_coal_plants_in_the_United_States
GEMS, “What Happened to the 151 Coal Plants” updated by GEMS 2017: https://www.gem.wiki/What_happened_to_the_151_proposed_coal_plants%3F
NETL Report on Status of New Coal Plants 2010: https://www.netl.doe.gov/projects/files/TrackingNewCoalFiredPowerPlants_010810.pdf
Dick Storm presentation to the Coal Institute, July 2025: http://www.thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
Thomas Shepstone on President Trump’s speech to the U.N: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/trump-says-it-out-loud-climate-alarmism?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Thomas J. Shepstone version of Dick Storm article Feb, 2025. Time to Revoke the Endangerment Finding” : https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/its-way-past-time-to-revoke-the-pseudo
Existing EPA-Endangerment Rules Impact South Carolina Electricity Costs and Will Cause Rationing if the EPA Endangerment Finding Isn’t Repealed Feb. 28, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/28/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs-and-will-cause-rationing-of-electricity-in-south-carolina-if-endangerment-finding-is-not-repealed/
The U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis was Created by GONGO the SWAMP Monster, March 19, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/19/the-u-s-self-inflicted-electricity-generation-crisis-was-created-by-gongo-the-swamp-monster-here-is-how-to-end-it/
Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters!: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/
My Letter to Senator Davis on Coal Power in S.C. April 1, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/03/response-to-palmetto-electric-request-to-contact-our-s-c-senators/
The Solution to America’s Electricity Generation Crisis: Build New Coal Plants Now! https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/18/the-solution-to-the-nations-coming-electricity-reliability-crisis-build-new-coal-plants/
Clean Energy Crisis, May 2, 2025 https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/02/clean-energy-crisis-2/
Thomas J. Shepstone, edited version of Clean Energy Crisis on Substack, May 3, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-clean-energy-crisis-and-why-it?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Jason Hayes republishing of Why Electric rates in SC will Rise: https://open.substack.com/pub/jasonhayes/p/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Reality of Building 125 GW of New Coal Power Generation Capacity, Then and Now: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/07/the-reality-of-building-125-gw-of-new-coal-plant-generation-capacity-then-and-now/
Repeal the IRA, Protect America’s Life-Blood of Energy and Electricity”: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/15/repeal-the-ira-protect-americas-lifeblood-of-energy-and-electricity-supply/
Ron Stein and Dick Storm co authored article in America Out Loud, May 19, 2025: https://www.americaoutloud.news/intermittent-electricity-from-renewables-cannot-support-ai-and-data-centers/
https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/27/internal-and-external-threats-to-the-u-s-electric-grid/
The Reality of Returning Major Power Generation Equipment Manufacturing to the U.S.
https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/06/01/the-reality-of-returning-major-power-generation-equipment-manufacturing-to-the-u-s/
Present DangerChina.org Threats to the Electric Grid, Frank Gaffney, Grant Newsom, Sam Faddis, Dave Walsh and Dick Storm: https://presentdangerchina.org/webinar-inside-our-wires-the-ccp-has-penetrated-our-electric-grid-will-xi-destroy-it/
Conventional Energy Including Coal is the Life-Blood of America: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/06/18/conventional-energy-including-coal-is-the-life-blood-of-america/
Thomas J. Shepstone published version of Dick Storm blog post on the “Madness of the Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis” https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-madness-of-the-us-self-inflicted?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Energy is the Economy and Electricity is the Life-Blood of western civilization Coal Can Make America’s Electricity Supply Great Again https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/07/30/energy-is-the-economy-electricity-is-the-life-blood-of-western-civilization-coal-can-make-americas-electricity-supply-great-again/
Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/electricity-is-the-life-blood-of?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
SWAMP People and Organizations Against Making America Great, Foreign and Domestic https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/08/07/swamp-people-and-organizations-against-making-america-great-foreign-domestic/
Published by Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/fighting-the-swamp-and-our-enemies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Some Red States Still Embrace the Green New deal, Including the Usually Conservative State of S.C. Sept. 8, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/09/08/some-red-states-still-embrace-the-green-new-deal-including-usually-conservative-south-carolina/
Energy and Economic Prosperity, Jan. 11, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/03/energy-and-economic-prosperity/
Energy and World Peace, April, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/04/05/energy-world-peace/
Comparison of China and U.S. Energy Policies: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/18/comparison-of-china-energy-electricity-generation-with-u-s-a/
Energy and Economic Prosperity Nov. 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/18/energy-and-economic-prosperity-2/
Without New Thinking on Nuclear Power, Anti-Carbon Policy Can’t Succeed, Nov. 11, 2021 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/11/13/without-new-thinking-on-nuclear-power-anti-carbon-climate-policy-cant-succeed/
The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Nations and the Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/
Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
Energy=Life as We Enjoy it, Aug. 22, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/
“The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”, Oct. 16, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
830,000 BTUs per Day/Person, Sept. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/09/16/830000-btus-per-day-person/
The Stupidity of Net-Zero Carbon, Oct. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/13/the-stupidity-of-net-zero-carbon/
America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Update of 2011 presentation to ASME: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/

Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Regulations

Energy is the Economy, Electricity is the Life-Blood of Western Civilization & Coal Can Make America’s Electricity Supply Great Again

July 30, 2025 dickstormprobizblog and dickstormenergyelectricity.org 2 Comments

For most of the U.S. during high electricity demand periods, natural gas, coal and nuclear provide the Primary energy to provide over 75% of America’s electricity. Here is an example from July 29, 2025 during a peak load of about 745,000 MW for the lower 48 states.

The primary energy provided by gas, coal and nuclear on this day is 77%. This is for 48 states. MISO is even more dependent on gas, nuclear and coal. Here is MISO on the afternoon of July 29th. Over 79% gas, nuclear and coal. Coal was providing a vital 32.9% of total generation.

Another 250,000 MW of Bulk Power Required for 2030 perhaps 800,000 MW More by 2050

In my opinion, building 14 new large nuclear plants each year till 2050 is pure fantasy. So is building 8000 new SMRs, even though I think they are a good idea.

Natural gas plants are the easy route for Utilities to take. However, in my opinion, we have too much dependence on pipeline provided gas supply now. Also, the cost component of fuel gas for electric power production from gas turbines is about 90%. Therefore electricity production costs will nearly double if gas prices double. A Balanced Generation Portfolio is best. Here is my thoughts on a Balanced Generation Portfolio in Dick Storm’s version of a “Perfect World” of Bulk Power Supply.

The Importance of Coal Power

There are many supporters of coal power. However, we are in fact out-numbered and outshouted by many organizations that have perpetrated the Self-Sabotaging of the Life-Blood of America. I have written before on these SWAMP organizations and some links are included below for reference.

Suffice it to say, coal remains important to power America. As shown above in actual generation during this summer. Winter will prove that coal is even more important. Winter Storm Uri in 2021 showed (at least to me) the harm that premature shutting down of coal plants in Texas caused.

Increased Generation Capacity of 250,000 MW by 2030

If the U.S. electricity demand increases by 250,000 MW by 2030 and new gas turbine plants supply half of this, I suggest that the other 125,000 MW come from new coal plants. How many will it take? A lot. Here below is the Cross Generating Station of Santee-Cooper. This plant has a capacity of about 2350 MW. It would take over 50 new plants like Cross to produce 125,000 MW. Possible by 2030, probably not due to supply-chain weaknesses. However, we should start now!

Previously Published Thoughts Related to the Need for New Coal Plants in the U.S.

The Solution to America’s Electricity Generation Crisis: Build New Coal Plants Now! https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/18/the-solution-to-the-nations-coming-electricity-reliability-crisis-build-new-coal-plants/
Clean Energy Crisis, May 2, 2025 https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/02/clean-energy-crisis-2/
Ron Stein and Dick Storm co-authored article in America Out Loud, May 19, 2025: https://www.americaoutloud.news/intermittent-electricity-from-renewables-cannot-support-ai-and-data-centers/
Threats to the Electric Grid: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/27/internal-and-external-threats-to-the-u-s-electric-grid/
The Reality of Returning Major Power Generation Equipment Manufacturing to the U.S.
https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/06/01/the-reality-of-returning-major-power-generation-equipment-manufacturing-to-the-u-s/
Present DangerChina.org Threats to the Electric Grid, Frank Gaffney, Grant Newsom, Sam Faddis, Dave Walsh and Dick Storm: https://presentdangerchina.org/webinar-inside-our-wires-the-ccp-has-penetrated-our-electric-grid-will-xi-destroy-it/
Conventional Energy Including Coal is the Life-Blood of America: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/06/18/conventional-energy-including-coal-is-the-life-blood-of-america/
Thomas J. Shepstone and Dick Storm blog post on the “Madness of the Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis” https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-madness-of-the-us-self-inflicted?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
The U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis was Created by GONGO the SWAMP Monster, March 19, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/19/the-u-s-self-inflicted-electricity-generation-crisis-was-created-by-gongo-the-swamp-monster-here-is-how-to-end-it/
Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters!: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/
My Letter to Senator Davis on Coal Power in S.C. April 1, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/03/response-to-palmetto-electric-request-to-contact-our-s-c-senators/
Coal’s Final Battle, May 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/20/coals-final-battle/
Tom Shepstone’s Substack repost of Dick Storm commentary, May 20, 2024: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/why-we-the-american-people-must-win?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Visualizing 100 Quadrillion BTUs. Shouldn’t Coal Remain in our Energy Mix?” : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/02/visualizing-100-quadrillion-btus-of-primary-energy-coal-should-remain-in-our-energy-mix/
We the People vs. The Ten Headed Swamp Monster : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/10/we-the-people-vs-net-zero-indoctrination-by-the-ten-headed-swamp-monster/
The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Nations and the Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/
Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
THE ERA OF RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PART 1https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/10/04/the-era-of-reliable-affordable-energy-and-electricity-generation-part-1/
The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1, Sept. 17, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/29/the-green-energy-crisis-is-here-part-1/
The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”, June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
The Green Energy Crisis, Part 3, June 26, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/26/green-energy-crisis-part-3-public-energy-education-is-needed-each-person-in-the-u-s-uses-about-315-million-btus-of-primary-energy-year-this-is-not-practical-or-even-possible-to-replace-with-win/

Closing

My comments to the American public and elected officials. It is time that you all wake up and do a little research into the primary energy that our country depends on. If competing with China is important to you, think about the advantages of using the God given treasure of energy that America has within our borders.

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, July 30, 2025

Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Energy, Politics and Economic Prosperity

Conventional Energy, Including Coal is the Life-Blood of America

June 18, 2025 dickstormprobizblog and dickstormenergyelectricity.org 3 Comments

Electricity has been heralded as the Life-Blood of our economy. Little has been written on the fact that electricity is secondary energy and that a form of primary energy is needed to generate electricity. America has required right at 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary energy for the last twenty five years to power our economy, industrial production and our freedom of transportation. This is. +/- about 7 Quads. In this article I will show why coal must and should be included in the primary energy mix to provide up to about 20% of America’s primary energy for at least the next twenty years.

Electricity generation uses about a third of the total primary energy consumed in the U.S. and Primary energy comes from five main sources:

Petroleum
Natural gas
Coal
Nuclear
Renewables

The primary energy produced and consumed by the U.S. is reported by the U.S. DOE Energy Information Administration (EIA). To arrive at a standard reporting format, the primary energy is reported in BTUs (British Thermal Units). Here is the chart of primary energy use for the year 2023.

Conventional forms of energy: Petroleum, Natural Gas, Nuclear and Coal provide over 90% of the energy that is the Life-Blood of America! Solar and wind after decades of subsidies are minor contributions to the overall supply of primary energy at about 3%. Chris Wright in testimony before Congress correctly referred to wind and solar as “Parasites”. Wind and solar consume billions of investment dollars for very little benefit to our country.

How Much Energy in BTUs is Used by Each Citizen?

The chart above shows 93.6 Quadrillion BTUs of total primary energy used during 2023. If the total 93.6 Quads is divided by 340 million citizens then the per capita energy use comes out to being about 280 million BTUs per person/per year. For discussion purposes, let’s round that up to 300 million BTUs. Remember, this is total primary energy and about a third of it is used to generate electricity. The other 2/3’s is used for transportation, heating, cooking, commercial, industrial production and other residential uses.

How is Primary Energy Used?

Here is a chart of the five sectors of Primary energy use, since 1950. The five sectors being: Electricity generation, Transportation, Industrial, Residential and Commercial.

The main point of this essay is to point out that it takes a certain amount of Primary Energy to power our lives. That amount is about 100 Quads today and is projected to grow as AI and the transition to more electrification of transportation and reshoring of American manufacturing is achieved.

There are only four main sources of massive amounts of primary energy to satisfy this Demand. These are petroleum, natural gas, coal and nuclear. The expected contributions of solar and wind are almost insignificant when considered in the mix of Primary Energy.

The U.S. total primary energy consumption has remained relatively constant at about 100 Quads since the year 2000. The previous article digs into more detail of the 100 Quadrillion BTUs required to power the U.S.

Do you remember when our government leaders and many organizations were cheering to “Electrify Everything“? Perhaps this is a good time to discuss “Primary Energy”. The four sources discussed above are the viable choices at our disposal. The pro-rating energy use of each American citizen is about 315 million BTUs per year. This totals about 100 Quadrillion BTUs. If our economy is to grow, our freedom of travel maintained and our food production, comforts and conveniences kept the same, let’s say we will likely continue to require 100 Quadrillion BTUs plus the growth of 1.7-2% per year for AI, population growth and reshoring manufacturing.

Growth of 2% per year doesn’t seem like much does it? Well, let’s look at it another way. Two percent growth will result in the doubling of electricity in about 35 years. There are forecasting experts that have predicted 78% electricity Demand growth by 2050. So the 2% per year and forecasts are pretty close. Let’s stick to electricity generation which uses about a third of the total primary energy consumed.

According to American Public Power, “electricity demand in the United States will increase 2% annually and 50% by 2050, according to a new study conducted by PA Consulting and released by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.”

“Driven by record growth in data centers and e-mobility, the study highlights innovative technology and policy solutions to maintain a reliable and affordable energy system through this new age of demand growth,” NEMA said.

“The study, “A Reliable Grid for an Electric Future,” predicts that growth in electricity demand in the United States will be driven by a 300% rise in energy consumption by data centers and a 9,000% increase in energy consumption required for e-mobility and charging, with overall electricity projected to grow from 21% of final energy use to 32% by 2050.”

“Additionally, consumption changes will vary by U.S. region and will vary across markets over time, driven primarily by data centers in the next decade and EVs in the longer term”.

“The Mid-Atlantic and Texas will see the largest data center electricity demand growth through 2035, and the Northeast and West will experience the largest electricity demand growth from EVs between 2035 through 2050.”

A Case for New Coal Plants

Previous articles by myself and others have discussed electricity growth and the need to build new coal, nuclear and natural gas power plants. Here are four:

Vijay Jayaraj, CO2 Coalition, Big Beautiful Coal Here for Many More Years. Despite Green Demonization: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/06/17/big-beautiful-coal-here-for-many-more-years-despite-green-demonization/

Joanne Nova on Coal Plant Approvals of the world: https://joannenova.com.au/2025/06/not-dying-global-approvals-of-coal-plants-back-up-to-2015-high/

Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters! Coal plants provide the lowest cost, most reliable electricity: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/

The Solution to America’s Electricity Generation Crisis: Build New Coal Plants Now! https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/18/the-solution-to-the-nations-coming-electricity-reliability-crisis-build-new-coal-plants/

The purpose of this essay is to emphasize the importance of using coal fuel and some reasons why I believe this to be true. The long story shortened is this:

Natural gas already dominates electricity generation and the supply-chain of new gas turbines is stretched into four or five year lead times. Another concern that I have is, energy security. Do we really want nearly 50% of our electricity generation fuel to be delivered just in time by pipelines? Coal plants have the inherent advantage of on-site energy storage of months of fuel. The same for nuclear plants which can literally store years of fuel on site. Nuclear is clean, proven and an outstanding form of power generation. In reality, we don’t need 50 or a hundred Megawatts of new generation. We need hundreds of thousands of Megawatts of new reliable, 24/7, dispatchable electricity generation. Frankly, if the 102,000 MW of coal plants that were shut down since 2010 were replaced with new ones, it would be a huge step forward! Destroying over 100,000 MW of reliable coal generation without replacing it in kind was wrong and the loss has weakened America. The planned self-inflicted energy crisis continues. Maybe not thanks to President Trump. But here is what was planned before Trump’s EO’s.

The madness of the U.S. Self-Inflicted Clean Energy Crisis continues. According to EIA and other respected news services, the U.S. Utilities plan to shut down more coal plants in the near future.

Massive new nuclear generation can be expected given ten or twenty years to rebuild the supply chain. It took about thirty years, 1956-1986 to build the first 100,000 MW of U.S. nuclear plant generating capacity. Given consistent government policies and regulations, we should be able to do it again.

More Electricity Generation is Needed, Lots More!

The answer? Build new coal plants. Let me go back to the total primary energy flows chart at the top. America runs on about 100 Quadrillion BTUs of thermal energy each year. This has been constant within +/- 10 Quads for over twenty years.

The future, if America is to remain strong, will require more Primary energy. Let’s say it will take ten more Quads. Where else can ten Quads of energy be found each year over the next five years? I would like to point out that in 2009 America used 21.8 Quads of coal.

In 2024 the coal portion of the total Primary energy had dropped to about 8 Quads. Therefore, it is proven that America, given the right policies and investments can produce at least 21.8 Quads of coal energy/year. How do I know that, easy, we did it as recent at 2009. The slide below is from my presentation to the ASME Annual meeting in Dallas, 2011.

The world is using more coal than ever. The chart below is from JoNova presentation on her blog.

Conclusions

Electricity growth is the highest it has been in decades and about 125,000 MW of new Dispatchable electricity generation is needed by 2030 and about 600,000 MW more by 2050
Gas Turbines power about 45% of America’s electricity generation now and it is mostly provided by just in time pipeline supply. National security requires more on site energy storage. Long term energy storage is provided naturally by Coal plants
Gas turbine additions are limited due to choke points in the supply-chain
New nuclear plants are also needed. However, building the needed 125,000 MW of new capacity will take decades. It took about 30 years to build the first 100,000 MW of U.S. nuclear generation capacity
- A Balanced electricity generation portfolio is preferred for reliability, affordability and security. The major generation sources of over 70% of the generation should be nuclear, gas and coal power.
Coal power plants have proven to be the lowest cost producers of electricity in the U.S. Where coal plants have been shutdown, such as CT, MA, CA and Hawaii the electricity costs are the highest in America. Where coal plants continue to operate such as UT, NE, MO, WVA the electricity prices are the lowest
The Coal Power Infrastructure is still in tact. Mines, RR’s etc. and production can be doubled in the short term
Coal energy storage on site is an advantage for power security
The U.S. power equipment manufacturing supply chain was capable of producing numerous coal plants as recent as 2013. This supply chain can and should be revitalized
The rest of the world is increasing coal use for electricity generation. As outlined by Vijay Jayaraj article, GEMS and IEA reports. So should America be building new coal plants. What other fuel can satisfy the growing Demand for Primary Energy in the near future?

Dick Storm, June 18, 2025

References and information for further research:

American Public Power Association report on electricity growth in the U.S. by 2050: https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/study-sees-dramatic-rise-us-power-demand-2050
EIA Coal Plant Retirements, Feb. 2025: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64604
Dick Storm presentation to ASME Annual Meeting 2011
America Requires 100 Quadrillion BTUs per year to power our economy, industrial production, transportation and high quality of life: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/02/visualizing-100-quadrillion-btus-of-primary-energy-coal-should-remain-in-our-energy-mix/
The Reality of Electrifying Everything, April 9, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/09/the-reality-of-electrifying-everything-and-the-primary-energy-required-to-generate-the-electricity/
IER Report on Coal Use in 2024: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/coal/global-coal-use-hits-another-historic-record-in-2024/
IEA-Coal-2024: https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a1ee7b75-d555-49b6-b580-17d64ccc8365/Coal2024.pdf
Visual Capitalist-2019-Every Power Plant Mapped: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-every-power-plant-in-the-united-states/
POWER Magazine, January 2025 report on world coal power with emphasis on China: https://www.powermag.com/coal-continues-to-lead-chinas-record-levels-of-power-generation/
NPR-New Orleans, Jan. 2025 excellent report with links to useful info, Coal Was on the Way Out, Then Surge in Electricity Demand Changed: https://www.wwno.org/coastal-desk/2025-01-09/coal-was-on-its-way-out-but-surging-electricity-demand-is-keeping-it-alive-costing-customers-and-the-planet
Global Energy Monitor Update of Coal Plants Shut Down in U.S. https://www.gem.wiki/Coal_plant_retirements
POWER Magazine, April 2025 on Electric Power Growth and Shortages: https://www.powermag.com/nations-power-operators-warn-congress-of-a-coming-reliability-shortfall/?utm_source=omeda&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pwrnews+eletter&oly_enc_id=3214I3524889A9B
Lars Schernikau, “Unpopular Truths” Newsletter on the decline of German Industry due to failed energy policies: https://sh1.sendinblue.com/3gvdip76f0lpfe.html?t=1744529565190
EIA Stats on Past & Future Generation, April 2025: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual/?mkt_tok=ODI0LU1IVC0zMDQAAAGZ43WWFr9wNO8tPTOKgsmgwPPWNk8RGWot7DxVoIoE1kJAseIHl5QOIFpB76qfZCFPWq3TXGNoBegkdD42BBUBalqtXixFnxyn9aADnl2Y44Sbvxc
EIA List of electricity generation plants, by fuel source, 2013-2023: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual/table.php?t=epa_04_02_a.html
NERC Long Term Reliability Assessment Report and including, Data Center Load Growth, December 2024: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_Long%20Term%20Reliability%20Assessment_2024.pdf
Beautiful Clean Coal and it is Affordable too, Stephen Heins, Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling! https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/headline-beautiful-clean-coal-is?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
We Need More Energy, Lots More Energy, by Stephen Heins, Chris Wright and Shan Sankara : https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/headline-chris-wright-by-shan-sankara?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
POWER Magazine on the surge in Gas Turbine sales, four year lead times, April 2025: https://www.powermag.com/gas-powers-boom-sparks-a-turbine-supply-crunch/
Cowboy State Daily, Good News for Coal Plants: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/04/18/politically-red-wyoming-utah-and-idaho-talk-break-from-power-giant-pacificorp/
Grid Security Now website: https://securethegrid.com
WUWT Roger Ciazza on the implications of extreme weather on renewable power reliability: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/04/13/implication-of-assessment-of-extreme-renewable-resource-lulls/
Santee-Cooper enacts higher rates for AI Centers: https://thisweekinenergy.substack.com/p/scs-state-owned-utility-enacts-higher
Gas Turbine World: https://gasturbineworld.com/category/forecasts/
NEMA Study on Electric Growth through 2050, April 2025: https://www.makeitelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/grid-reliability-study-nema-deck.pdf
Global Energy Monitor on world coal plants and 2024 being the largest coal consuming year in world history: https://globalenergymonitor.org/report/boom-and-bust-coal-2025/
Big Beautiful Coal Here for Many More Years. Despite Green Demonization: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/06/17/big-beautiful-coal-here-for-many-more-years-despite-green-demonization/
IEA Global Coal Report 2025: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2025/coal
WSJ on Gas Peak, May 17, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/trump-oil-gas-shale-production-decline-db5e0f7c?st=3TqMZq&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Kathryn Porter, Watt Logic on the Affordability of Net-Zero Carbon, May 2025: https://watt-logic.com/2025/05/19/new-report-the-true-affordability-of-net-zero/
EIA Today in Energy, May 22, 2025: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/?utm_medium=email
Our World in Data, World Energy Sources: https://ourworldindata.org/electricity-mix
American Public Power website of U.S. Generation Resources, 2025: https://www.publicpower.org/resource/americas-electricity-generating-capacity
EIA Report and Graphic Charts of total Energy Used in 2024: https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/flow-graphs/total-energy.php

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How about India and China?

How about India, Germany and the UK?

So if Coal Is Such an Obvious Source of Primary Energy, Why is the West Self Sabotaging Their Economies?

Australia

Recent Articles to Support Building New Coal Power Generation Plants

Conclusions

References and articles for further research:

First, Apply the Fundamentals!

Coal Remains Vital as a Source of American Primary Energy

Getting the Inputs Right

Getting the Inputs Right!

Stealth Heat-Rate Losses

Case Studies of Large Utility Steam Generator Successes

Quest for Improved Thermal Efficiency

The Demise of Coal Has Been Drastically Exaggerated

Coal: America’s Treasure of Primary Energy, Why Not Use it?

Conclusions

Coal as an Important Source of Primary Energy

Back to Basics: Let’s Look at the Available Sources of Primary Energy

The Enormity of 100 Quadrillion BTUs

The Enormity of BTUs Measured in Quadrillions

How About Coal?

Conclusions

Part ll will cover electric power generation in the rest of the world and some of the advances of clean coal power generation.

References and Info for further reading:

Bulk Power Supply & Primary Energy:

How About the Primary Energy to Generate 800 GW of New Electricity Generation?

Primary Energy

America Uses about 100 Quadrillion BTUs Annually of Primary Energy

Self Sabotaging of the U.S. Bulk Power Supply

The Future 2025-2050

“Just in Time” Primary Energy

Conclusion

References and Further Reading:

Choices of Primary Energy to Fuel the World

Electricity Generation

Conclusion

References and for further research of the facts:

Another 250,000 MW of Bulk Power Required for 2030 perhaps 800,000 MW More by 2050

The Importance of Coal Power

Increased Generation Capacity of 250,000 MW by 2030

Closing

How is Primary Energy Used?

A Case for New Coal Plants

More Electricity Generation is Needed, Lots More!

Conclusions

References and information for further research:

Believer in Freedom to use of Energy for sustainable high quality lives