NATIONAL COAL COUNCIL REPORT: WITH DECISIVE GOVERNMENT ACTION, U.S. CAN CAPITALIZE ON SIGNIFICANT GLOBAL EXPORT OPPORTUNITY

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Coal Council (NCC) today released “Outlook and Opportunities for U.S. Coal Exports,” a report showing the significant potential that exists for the U.S. coal industry if the government takes decisive action to improve infrastructure, remove financial obstacles and unnecessary costs from the market, and include coal products in trade agreements.

“American coal should be dominating the global markets, and with improved infrastructure and fairer market access, it can,” said Jimmy Brock, NCC Vice Chair and Chairman and CEO of Core Natural Resources, who led the development of the report.  “This report shows that the economic case for action to support increased coal exports is clear, supporting U.S. jobs, improving the trade balance, and strengthening U.S. economic and energy security.”

The report, along with a companion report, “Maximizing the Value of the U.S. Coal Fleet,” was accepted by the U.S. Department of Energy today at the NCC meeting in Washington, D.C.  The NCC was reconstituted in June 2025 with Peabody President and CEO Jim Grech as Chair and Jimmy Brock as Vice Chair. It includes more than 60 members across the coal value chain and related stakeholder groups.

U.S. exports: Meaningful with Much Greater Potential

In 2025, the U.S. exported 93 million short tons of coal, including 50.1 million short tons of metallurgical coal and 42.5 million short tons of thermal coal, creating more than $10 billion in revenue and 36,000-plus jobs. The report makes clear that, with abundant resources at home and strong demand abroad, the U.S. could be producing much more, creating jobs, benefitting the U.S. trade position and supporting our global allies in need of high-quality coal.

The Opportunity: The Rising Global Need for Reliable, Affordable Energy and Materials

“We are again reminded that global electricity demand is climbing, steel production is expanding and geopolitical tensions are making reliable energy supplies ever-more essential,” said Rich Nolan, Chair of the National Coal Council Exports Subcommittee and President and CEO of the National Mining Association. “The recent Middle East conflict and surge in power demand from data centers are adding pressure to electricity systems already strained by limited access to liquefied natural gas and other fuels. Increased coal exports are a logical solution to the problem.”

The report details how governments are responding by reassessing plans to retire coal generation, and continuing to build out new coal generation, particularly in Asia. In fact, investment is following demand. The International Energy Agency says global coal investment has reached a 14-year high and is expected to exceed $180 billion by the end of 2026. China and India account for much of the increase. China is projected to spend roughly $100 billion on coal this year, twice its investment a decade ago, while India’s coal investment has tripled over the same period.

Coal remains the world’s largest source of electricity generation and an essential input for steel and cement. It is also gaining attention as an alternative feedstock for fertilizers, petrochemicals and liquid fuels. As the IEA data indicate, capital is not merely flowing to existing mines and infrastructure; investment in new coal generating capacity is also rising.

With abundant, high-quality thermal and metallurgical coal-and the world’s most skilled mining workforce-the United States is ready to meet that demand.

Report Recommendations: Actions to Unlock Potential

The report finds that the primary constraint for U.S. coal is not resource availability but access to markets and prohibitive regulatory, tax and fee structures. To unlock the full economic and strategic value of U.S. coal resources, it recommends:

     1.      Prioritizing the development and modernization of world-class export infrastructure, including the development of critically needed increased West Coast port capacity and expanded Eastern and Gulf capacity.

     2.      Reforming and streamlining permitting processes and the regulatory environment.

     3.      Right-sizing tax and fee policies.   

     4.      Improving coal transportation networks.

     5.      Making coal a priority in trade agreements.

     6.      Enhancing productivity and technology utilization to promote world-class mining innovation.

Additional detail can be found in the report, which is posted here.