How much impact is natural gas having on coal's market share? Too much

摘要

The use of natural gas as an alternative to coal in the utility sector has been fairly limited and is not a terribly worrisome issue, according to some producers. Others refuse to dismiss the impact, however, and some foresee continued displacement of coal for some time. Lower natural gas prices have led to what some believe to be a considerable amount of fuel switching in recent months, despite the fact that coal prices have declined significantly as well. "The only thing that's saving coal right now is contractual obligations," one source said.