Global Warming, part 2 Coal

Newbie33

Same article as below.

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"Fisher's working hypothesis is that the U.S. COAL industry is blocking climate policy at the federal level. Coal companies and power plants that burn coal are most threatened by emissions controls, Fisher says, im part because coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, producing the largest amounts of greenhouse gasses relative to the energy it produces. And it's not just CEOs and stockholders who stand to lose money: Extracting coal requires lots of labor, and miners' UNIONS FORM A POWERFUL LOBBY. Coal is also mined in 26 STATES in the South, West & Rust Belt, so it's political influence is vast. OIL DRILLING, BY COMPARISON, is highly mechanized and concentrated mostly in Texas, Alaska, Louisiana, and California."

(Interesting because we focus so much on oil that we're ignoring coal!)

"The US has the largest coal reserves in the world and HALF of all Americans get cheap electricity from coal-burning plants."

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While I certainly believe our thirst for oil is problematic, I think it's high time we start looking at coal. I have to be honest, coal wasn't even something I gave much thought to. I remember in grade school talking about it being a problem but since oil has become enemy #1, I guess I thought coal was a bit player. Obviously, it is no.

mahantango

(geologist comes out of lurkerdom)

There is a huge lobbying push from Clean Coal which is driven by the coal industry.  They were handing out free hats at an Obama rally I attended during the primary.   What people do not realize is that approximately 48% of the coal mines in the US are foreign-owned.  For example, one of the numerous coal mines in western PA was recently bought by a Russian company.  I think this directly goes against the argument for coal use as part of our path to energy independence.

AlisaS

mahantango:

(geologist comes out of lurkerdom)

There is a huge lobbying push from Clean Coal which is driven by the coal industry.  They were handing out free hats at an Obama rally I attended during the primary.   What people do not realize is that approximately 48% of the coal mines in the US are foreign-owned.  For example, one of the numerous coal mines in western PA was recently bought by a Russian company.  I think this directly goes against the argument for coal use as part of our path to energy independence.

Thanks for this - I had no idea! It makes sense, of course.

What exactly is clean coal?

Newbie33

I never thought of coal as being an independent source of energy just because my limited knowledge of strip mining and the pollution took it out of the running for me. Knowing that mostly foreign nations own the coal companies that, IMO, are so destructive, makes it even less appealing.

Foreign-owned or not, the states that rely on that inexpensive energy and the jobs that result, aren't going to give it up easily as indicated by votes in the senate.

Temp534591562502098

I think "clean coal" is just a way of processing it using super duper confining techniques so no harmful by-products are leached into the air/soil/water. Obviously it seems like this would cost more.

 

AlisaS

sugrfrejaz:

I think "clean coal" is just a way of processing it using super duper confining techniques so no harmful by-products are leached into the air/soil/water. Obviously it seems like this would cost more.

 

That is what I thought. I should know - my DH practices energy law. But he does wind, solar, gas, not coal.

Newbie33

So clean coal has nothing to do with protecting the environment during the mining process. How much "cleaner" does it burn? And what do they do with the leftovers from the cleaning process? Is it like nuclear waste? It has to go somewhere, doesn't it?