General Electric says its technology upgrades are improving efficiency and reducing emissions at newer coal… The conglomerate—one the world’s biggest suppliers of power-plant equipment—for years played down coal’s future as challenged by environmental and cost issues. Instead, it has promoted natural gas as the fuel of the future. But a combination of factors—from GE’s push into increasingly far-flung global markets to a dire need for growth after the financial crisis—have triggered a change of heart. GE is bullish about coal again. GE leaders say they can reap decades of profits from existing coal power plants, installing upgrades that will come in response to slowly tightening emissions rules and utilities’ desire to boost output. The company nearly doubled its fleet of large turbines in coal plants, to more than 1,500 world-wide, through its $10 billion acquisition of Alstom SA ALO -0.44 % ’s power business last year. And executives say […]