Energy | February 15, 2008 |
Is the End Near for Coal Power?
Times are tough for the coal industry. New emissions regulations are on the table in D.C., and there is a growing public discontent with coal-fired energy plants. On the other hand, in the
Lester Brown is an analyst with the Earth Policy Institute, and one of the most renowned environmental thinkers in the world. On a media call this week, he said that efforts to develop carbon sequestration technology, which prevents emissions at coal-fired power plants, are too far off and would be more expensive than investing in alternative power sources.
Asked what the
Naturally, the coal industry thinks Mr. Brown doth protest too much, and pointed out that coal is a critical source of affordable power in the
On NPR this week, I heard a report about the coal industry offering scholarships to students at the University of West Virginia, and other schools, if they major in coal engineering programs. From the sound of the report, there are an abundance of well-paying jobs in the coal industry, and the recruiters are offering some tantalizing incentives to sign up, a la the military. At one point, the reporter said that coal is responsible for about half of the energy we use in the
"The cheapest alternative is investing in efficiency," Brown said, claiming that if the U.S. shifted to long-life compact florescent light bulbs, it would save enough power to close 80 coal-fired power plants.
Ultimately, coal’s biggest problems may be on Wall Street, where the investment community has all but abandoned the industry, in anticipation of tighter emissions regulations down the road. This month, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America said lending for coal-fired power plants will be contingent on utilities demonstrating they would be economically viable under future federal rules on emissions.
In other words, see ya, wouldn’t want to be ya.


Comments By Readers
I have heard the rhetoric about coal mining, but there is never any information comparing the utility cost of the alternative energy cost. The cost of labor and energy has driven much of the manufacturing out of this country. It seems people do not want mining is any form, but if you cannot grow it, you have to mine it.
We don't want nuclear energy, don't want fossil fuels; just want clean energy.
Everyone is embracing battery-powered cars, yet no mention of what all these batteries are going to do to the landfills.
What if this “global warming” is really do to over population, too many automobiles, and too many roads reflecting heat back into the atmosphere?
Wouldn't it be nice if everyone had all the resources they would ever need? We blame the banks for over extending credit, but fail to comment on the rise in gas prices starting this recession/depression. If utility costs rise, what will people do then? It will be the same effect as the rise in gas prices. Once again people will stop spending just to maintain home heating. The U.S. has a great resource in coal and has decided it is worthless. If that is true the industry ought to stop paying taxes to local, state and federal agencies on this worthless mineral.
Tax credits for every thing but coal. It seems a great place to install wind energy equipment is near Congress.
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