Coal did not regain ground under Trump

A year has passed since the election of President Donald Trump and his promises to transform energy markets.

In fact, what was true under President Barack Obama is still relevant today: the share of coal in the energy complex is declining, and wind and solar energy remain the fastest growing sources of electricity in the United States.

Year two, however, may turn out to be a different story. Trump hasn't been shy about encouraging a coal resurgence or taking out credit for a recent return to mining. There are only two problems with this: just like a year ago, utilities continue to shut down coal-fired power plants.

Coal production in the United States began to rise in mid-2016, fueled by higher global prices, which were mainly due to a decline in production in China. Cyclone Debbie hit the Australian coast this year, pushing prices higher again. And in the US, coal has become more competitive in the utility mix after natural gas - a competitive fuel for power plants - rebounded from historically low prices last year.

However, since then, coal production has dropped below 2016 levels. Of course, Trump can take away some of the economic benefits associated with renewables that have boosted clean energy stocks since his election. He is considering a series of steps to revitalize coal and nuclear weapons and potentially dampen wind and solar energy.