Houston Matters

A Zombie Industry: Is Coal On the Way Out?

Some industry analysts are calling coal a “zombie industry” – meaning it’s dying but still functioning. So far in 2016, U.S. coal production is 32 percent lower than it was a year ago, according to figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Meanwhile, a new study says Texans are shifting away from relying on energy […]

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Some industry analysts are calling coal a "zombie industry" – meaning it's dying but still functioning.

So far in 2016, U.S. coal production is 32 percent lower than it was a year ago, according to figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Meanwhile, a new study says Texans are shifting away from relying on energy from coal and instead will rely more on natural gas, wind and solar energy in the coming decades, according to the Brattle Group, which presents a picture of what the state's energy portfolio might look like in coming years.

To learn more about the shift away from coal – and what it all means for Texas and Greater Houston – we talk with Jim Malewitz.

MORE:
In Texas, Market Forces Driving Shift From Coal, Study Says (Texas Tribune, May 17, 2016)
Coal Is Officially a Zombie Industry (Slate, April 14, 2016)
Exploring Natural Gas and Renewables in ERCOT (Study, Feb, 28, 2016)

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Michael Hagerty

Michael Hagerty

Senior Producer, Houston Matters

Michael Hagerty is the senior producer for Houston Matters. He's spent more than 20 years in public radio and television and dabbled in minor league baseball, spending four seasons as the public address announcer for the Reno Aces, the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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