Trump pumps coal as answer to AI power needs but any boost could be short-lived President Donald Trump’s promise to go all in on fossil fuels includes praise for coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that's long been in decline.
Electricity demand for data centers alone will increase 10-20% per year through 2030, while manufacturing of batteries, solar cells and semiconductors will require additional gigawatts of new power over the next four years, predicted Chris Seiple with analyst firm Wood Mackenzie.
Trump this week suggested coal can help meet surging electricity demand from manufacturing and the massive data centers needed for artificial intelligence.
Yet energy experts say any bump for coal under Trump is likely to be temporary since natural gas is cheaper and there’s a durable market for renewable energy no matter who holds the White House.
“It's kind of been shown over the last three administrations even the president of the United States can't change markets, the trend for coal," said University of Wyoming economics professor Rob Godby.
