Coal country workers facing economic transition in Appalachia
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⚡ Energy Transition

Coal Country's Clean Energy Transition: America's Economic Crossroads

500 communities navigate the shift from fossil fuels to a clean energy future
90%
Coal Jobs Gone
U.S. coal mining has shed 90% of its workforce since 1980 — from 220,000 miners to under 43,000
West Virginia, Kentucky, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and Montana are most impacted — entire county economies at stake

💼 Economic Collapse

The Appalachian Hollowing

McDowell County, WV had 100,000 residents in 1950 when coal was king. Today: 17,000. Median household income is $22,000/year. Life expectancy is 67 — 12 years below the national average. Drug overdose rates are the nation's highest.

-83%
Population loss
67yrs
Life expectancy
28%
Poverty rate
$16B
IRA Investment
The Inflation Reduction Act directed $16B specifically to energy communities in coal country for clean energy projects
Bonus tax credits for clean energy projects sited in former coal communities attract private investment

☀️ New Energy

Solar on Strip Mine Land

Brilliant-Powhatan in West Virginia now hosts a 50MW solar farm on former strip-mined land. The project employs 200 local workers and generates property taxes for schools. Across Appalachia, 80,000 acres of reclaimed mine land could power 2.5 million homes with solar.

Former Kentucky coal miners are being retrained as wind turbine technicians — a job that pays $20/hr more than mining
3x
More Jobs
Clean energy creates 3x more jobs per dollar invested than fossil fuels — and pays 25% higher wages on average
Solar installer and wind turbine technician are the two fastest-growing occupations in the U.S. (BLS, 2026)

🎓 Skills for the Future

Retraining America's Energy Workers

The Appalachian Regional Commission partnered with community colleges across 13 states to create free 12-week clean energy certificates. 40,000 former fossil fuel workers enrolled in 2025-2026 for solar installation, battery storage, and EV charging careers.
One
America
A just energy transition leaves no community behind — learn how clean energy policy can rebuild coal country
Read more about energy justice and sustainable economic development