The Export Enigma: Appalachian Coal’s Complicated Outlets Overseas

By Brian Sewell Recently, coal exports have provided operators in Appalachia with a crucial buffer against the market-driven forces that are shaping the energy landscape across the United States. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, between 2009 and 2011, coal exports nearly doubled in response to stagnant domestic consumption. This year, the EIA forecasts…

Read More

US Coal: Keeping the Lights On…In Chinese Boardrooms?

As American Coal Exports Skyrocket, Chinese Companies Look To Buy Up Appalachia Much of the financial infrastructure for companies operating Appalachian surface mines may soon be in China, along with an increasing amount of Appalachian coal. On May 7, Guizhou Guochuang Energy Holding Group said it had raised 3.9 billion yuan in a private placement…

Read More