The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and data centers has halted the retirement of coal-fired power plants in the United States. Carbon emissions from the American power sector jumped 4% last year – double the 2% rise in the broader economy – as coal generation climbed 13%.
That increase is partly a result of surging electricity demand from large data centers, which operate around the clock. With renewable sources such as wind and solar struggling to provide a steady supply due to weather dependency, coal is being repositioned as a strategic energy source in the US and across Asia, giving older coal plants a new lease of life.
US electricity demand is now growing much faster than anticipated. By 2030, data centers could account for more than 10% of total electricity consumption in the United States.
Coal’s Revival in the US
The US coal industry has gained fresh momentum with the backing of Donald Trump’s administration. Coal plants are expected to help the country meet rising power needs from data centers, artificial intelligence systems and other advanced manufacturing sectors.
– The Trump administration has indeed said that the development of artificial intelligence must be based on stable energy sources such as coal – stressed Bogusław Ziętek, head of the Sierpień 80 trade union.
In Poland, he argues, coal should remain the transition fuel.
– We have coal, not gas. We don’t have enough gas – noted Bogusław Ziętek.
AI’s Appetite for Metals and Power
The AI boom is closely tied to the mining sector. Data centers consume vast amounts of electricity, much of it generated from coal, and they sharply increase demand for copper, aluminium and rare earth elements.
The International Energy Agency predicts that global electricity consumption by data centers will roughly double to around 950 terawatt-hours by 2030, or nearly 3% of world demand.
S&P Global forecasts copper demand will rise by half, from 28 million tonnes in 2025 to 42 million tonnes in 2040. Without major new mining investment, supply could fall short. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence has created a new structural source of copper demand, alongside electrification, renewables, grid expansion and defence.
Coal’s revival in the US is partly a response to power demand from data centers and cryptocurrency operations. Market observers have no illusions and point out that this demand growth is here to stay. In China and India, coal also plays a critical role in generating electricity for rapidly developing data centers.
– Global coal output is still too modest for many economies, as evidenced by their significant coal imports – said Jerzy Markowski, former deputy economy minister.
Worldwide electricity use in data centers could double in the next few years, and renewables alone will not be able to meet the fast-growing demand. Fossil fuels, including gas and coal, are likely to benefit. In the global technology race, countries with sufficient raw material resources and control over energy infrastructure may gain a strategic edge.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. K / Pexels
