Dont worry im sure the govt will give them tons of subsidies to stay open/make sure thier profits dont go too far down

Trump tried and this did nothing. the US government's policy at this point also could not be more antithetical to the continuation of coal as a power source. the Biden administration is trying to propose a rule ("slash their greenhouse gas pollution 90 percent between 2035 and 2040 — or shut down") that would functionally kill coal and, as of now, probably the ability of even natural gas to operate. (i'm not aware of any technology which can get natural gas to such a non-polluting point, much less coal which produces nearly twice as many emissions.) coal is in extremely terminal decline in the US: the EIA says "nearly a quarter of the operating U.S. coal-fired fleet scheduled to retire by 2029" and that's probably an underestimate. half of existing coal capacity in 2011 is likely to be gone by 2026. i know we like to be cynical about these things collectively, but all available evidence clearly indicates this is not a correct perspective to hold.

I hate that you're probably right

Same here. I need something that will power my fridge and freezer and charge my phones when the weather knocks things out.

Ever heard of Molten salt reactors? They're much safer than traditional reactors in many ways

To my understanding they don't use up the water though, it's evaporated back into the cycle after use. Also they can use non potable water like salt water, if memory serves.

How hydrogen is transforming these tiny Scottish islands

Scotland’s Orkney Islands produce more clean energy than their inhabitants can use. Their next step? Hydrogen.

Hydrogen is not free of problems: it degrades metal, leaks above a very low level have the potential to negate the environmental benefits, and it's not particularly efficient because of the cost of compression. And Green hydrogen (which is more like a battery than a fuel) risks providing Big Carbon with a new excuse to pollute with their multi-coloured array of non-Green hydrogens (which are filthy fuels, nothing like a battery).

But I'm not at all convinced about nuclear providing better answers than renewables. It takes decades for a new nuclear plant to come online, the same money invested in renewables starts yielding benefits immediately. And the problem of disposing of nuclear waste is not yet solved.