The price represents the intersection of supply and demand. Since supply of coal is steady, the higher price is coming from an increase in demand. Of course co

The price represents the intersection of supply and demand. Since supply of coal is steady, the higher price is coming from an increase in demand. Of course coal purchasers would prefer a lower price, but the fact that the price is high is proof that there is great demand for coal. This does not mean that there is not demand for renewables, either. Both the usage of renewables and the usage of coal is predicted to increase. See https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=49976 https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=49976 Increases in coal-fired generation in Other non-OECD Asia—which includes Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, among other countries—will account for over 75% of our projected increase in global coal-fired generation from 2030 to 2050. For Other non-OECD Asia, we project that renewable energy sources will account for about 60% of the generation increase over the projection period, primarily from wind and solar. Coal-fired generation will account for nearly all of the remaining growth.