Coal

• Natural gas fuels 38% of U.S. electricity generation in 2022, up from 37% in 2021, but we forecast it to fall back to 36% in 2023. Coal-fired electricity generation falls from 23% of the U.S. total last year to 20% in 2022 and 19% in 2023. Growing generation from renewable sources limits growth in natural gas-fired generation, and coal’s generation share declines because of the expected retirement of some coal-fired capacity.

• U.S. coal production in the forecast increases by 20 million short tons (MMst) in 2022 to total 598 MMst for the year. We expect coal production will fall to 581 MMst in 2023.