FutureCoal has welcomed the US administration’s USD 625 million investment to upgrade and modernize coal plants, calling it a pragmatic step forward to achieve energy security and best environmental performance. Michelle Manook, CEO of FutureCoal, said, ‘The administration’s announcement is a necessary and sensible step towards America’s goal of energy independence.’ Manook stated that the U.S. administration’s commitment signifies a modernization program aimed at enhancing resilience and offering an opportunity to reset the approach to coal financing. ‘This investment signifies a responsible transformation of the world’s crucial coal energy and industrial assets, a concept already embedded in the energy policies and societal mindset of the two largest coal economies, India and China, where energy resilience and self-sufficiency remain top priorities.’ India, which has already committed over USD 1 billion to coal gasification projects by 2025, and China, between 2022 and 2024, invested a total of USD 248 billion in the coal sector.