US coal output is expected to fall by 3 percent in 2019 – EIA

21-January-2019

EIA forecasts that U.S. coal production will total 729 million short tons (MMst) in 2019, down by 25 MMst (3%) from 2018.

According to EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook, the coal production will further decline by 50 MMst (7%) in 2020. This decrease is the result of coal’s relatively weak competiveness in the electric power sector compared with natural gas, as well as an assumption of lower demand for U.S. coal exports.

EIA expects the share of U.S. total utility-scale electricity generation from natural gas-fired power plants to rise from 35% in 2018 to 37% in 2020.

Coal’s forecast share of electricity generation falls from 28% in 2018 to 24% in 2020.

The nuclear share of generation was 19% in 2018 and EIA forecasts that it will be about the same share in 2020. Non hydropower renewables provided 10% of generation in 2018 and are expected to provide 13% in 2020. Hydropower’s share of generation was 7% in 2018 and is forecast to be similar in 2019 and in 2020. In 2019, EIA expects wind’s annual share of generation will exceed hydropower’s share for the first time.

Source: COALSPOT