Eyal wrote:Daryl wrote:Good points biochem, and I do agree with you, surprise.
I'd not say learn to love coal, but would say learn to accept that coal has to be used for some time yet. Eventually technology will find economically sensible ways to provide 24/7 base load power from renewables. Apart from anything else future generations will want the coal as a feed stock for more useful things than just burning it.
As I understand, the main problem with coal is due to market issues, not regulations - natural gas is simply cheaper and more convenient. Given that, coal isn't coming back unless the government is willing to drastically intervene - either by banning/restricting gas or by massively subsidizing coal (and in the latter case, you might as well pay the out-of-job miners directly and spare the environment).
1) NOT disagreeing with anyone. However I do remember Boston Harbor, Lake Erie had no living anything in it, Love canal, Acid rain killing the forests and the fish, and Los Angeles smog.
2) Burning coal to boil water to produce steam is probably the least efficient way to generate electricity. However 60% of the BHP of a natural gas fired turbine is used by the turbine's air compressor end.
3) It's just cheaper to build and operate natural gas or gas/oil hybrid turbine generators, especially with heat recovery boilers running steam co-gen turbines.
4) Yes we will be burning coal especially at "base load" generating stations for a while. But like the Nuclear Reactors, they are nearing the end of their useful life. They will either have to be rebuilt or replaced. Now we have an oversupply of natural gas, and Trump is promising more coal AND more natural gas. It is probably going to be cheaper to rebuild the coal plants to burn natural gas even if they don't have to meet clean air standards.
5) China is a net importer of coal but even China is moving away from coal and to solar and wind. The future is in energy storage capacity. And Tesla is pushing ahead with that.