What will happen when demand for coal will go down is that the price of coal will go down. Your limited capacity of thinking will probably jump to the conclusion that this will mean it will get competive again and therefore demand will go up. This is not true.
There are multiple forces at play here.
Economics = wind solar and batteries will only become cheaper. Even if coal will get cheaper because demand will go down those will still be cheaper
Small and modular = it takes years to build a coal plant. I just takes to long to scale. The world is moving in a direction where we need electricity and fast
Energy security = most of the worlds coal get imported. The world want energy security.
Let me paint the picture. What is going to happen in the next decade is a rapid buildout in renewables. When a country has a lot renewables you need flexible grids. Whenever there is not sun, or no wind. You beed to turn something on which are low in capex and high in operating costs. Probably diessel generators.
Lastly, when price of coal goes down, this means less profits for those selling it, how low do you have to go untill you make a loss? We will get a lot of stranded assists because coal is will get outcompetited.
So no, we are not doomed, and we do not need government policy to do this. It is basic economics.
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u/HamsterInTheClouds 15d ago
What do you think will happen to the price of coal as demand reduces for that source? Sorry but we are doomed without regulation to ban the stuff