President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at revitalizing the coal industry, asserting that coal power is vital for meeting the energy demands of the rapidly growing artificial intelligence (AI) sector. As AI technology advances, the energy consumption of data centers has become a pressing concern. Trump’s initiative is intended to address these energy needs by boosting coal production.

The executive order is part of a broader strategy to support the coal industry’s resurgence. This includes opening federal lands for mining and designating coal as a “critical mineral.” Moreover, Trump plans to leverage emergency authorization powers to ease environmental regulations associated with coal production.

During the signing ceremony, he emphasized the necessity for increased energy, stating, “We need more than double the energy, the electricity, that we currently have” to support emerging technologies like AI. The energy demands linked to AI are indeed staggering. Companies such as NVIDIA project shipping 1.5 million AI servers annually by 2027, which could consume approximately 85.4 terawatt-hours of electricity each year—outpacing the annual energy use of some smaller countries.

This reality underscores the Trump administration’s pivot toward coal as a potential solution to these energy crises. However, the feasibility of rejuvenating the coal industry is uncertain. The American coal sector has been in decline for decades due to the increasing viability of alternative energy sources.

Currently, coal supplies only about 15% of the nation’s energy, a significant reduction from nearly half a decade ago. Additionally, the network of operational coal plants has halved since 2000. Ethical considerations also play a crucial role in this discussion, as coal is a nonrenewable resource destined to deplete.

Many companies, particularly in technology, are now focusing on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Relying on coal for AI data centers could contradict their long-standing commitments to sustainability and environmental responsibility.