Energy information administration power generation webmap generator#
Identifying specific price effects from the transition away from coal is challenging however the producer price indexes (PPIs) for electric power can be used to compare general trends in price development across generator types and regions, and can be used to learn valuable insights into the early effects of fuel switching in the electric power sector from coal to natural gas and renewable sources. Through these effects, the decline of coal as the primary fuel source in American electricity production has affected both wholesale and retail electricity prices. 1 The transition from coal, which included the early retirement of coal plants, has affected major price-determining factors within the electric power sector such as operation and maintenance costs, capital investment, and fuel costs. This transition has been spurred by three major factors: rising costs of prepared coal for use in power generation, a significant expansion of economical domestic natural gas production coupled with a corresponding decline in prices, and rapid advances in technology for renewable power generation.
One interesting shift is the transition away from coal-powered plants toward a greater mix of natural gas and renewable sources. The electric power sector of the United States has undergone several major shifts since the deregulation of wholesale electricity markets began in the 1990s.
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