You may not be fond of coal if it's in your Christmas stocking, but some see it as a useful and beneficial source of energy. Recently more energy companies have opted to build coal-burning plants, and experts are debating whether this is a viable solution to our energy needs. They say America runs on coal, but are we running in the right direction?
Please select the category that most closely reflects your concern about this content,
so that we can review it and determine whether it violates Civility 101 or isn't
appropriate for some other reason.
Abusing this feature is also a violation of Civility 101.
Explanation:
Biweekly updates on new debates and experts
Please check your email to confirm your subscription.
© 2008 Opposing Views, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Opposing Views, Inc. is not responsible for the content posted on this website. Please view full disclaimer under Terms
What Could We Replace Coal With?
- From ACC
By American Coal Council - Business Voice of the Coal Industry
Thank You for your Comment
We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.
Coal Isn't The Only Base-Load Option
Geothermal works around the clock as well.
Further, most demand is day-time, when solar power applies.
Saying we've already got 50% electricity from coal, therefore more is better, doesn't follow. Maybe 50% base-load power from coal is quite enough thank you?
More base-load could be geo-thermal, and peak power could be solar.
- HomoSapiensNotsomuch July 13, 2008 7:30PM
Reply to this Recommend (0)
Side: Uncommitted
Thank You for your Comment
We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.
Clean Coal is a sham and questionable technology
There is no such thing as clean coal. It is frankly a fraud and a sham to fleece taxpayers. Pumping CO2 into the ground is like sweeping dirt under a rug and is not only questionable but frankly makes no sense. With world energy supplies constrained it looks like we will have little choice in the no so distant future to look for oil anyplace we can find it, and use coal as a local energy supply for the short term. About the best we can do is just scrub the emissions from these plants and look for ways to offset as much of this dirty non-renewable energy as we can with cleaner alternatives like wind, solar, and tidal energy.
Coal isn't the answer, but I think we have little choices. Anyone questioning this needs to to out to the EIA and look at the data and see the decline in energy resources to start to realize the size and scale of the problem.
It is time to take this seriously and get on board looking for alternatives. It takes too much time to build the power infrastructure needed to supply our energy needs. If you haven't checked out pickensplan.org. go check it out. It is a start, and a possible way to get us moving logically on a path of smarter solutions to our energy needs.
Do we need more coal powered plants? Yes, but is it the best solution long term? No, I don't think so.
- Longsnowsm
September 28, 2008 12:22PM
Reply to this Recommend (0)
Side: Yes
Thank You for your Comment
We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.
Where wind blows, so does money
"Additionally, wind does not blow all of the time, so wind power cannot provide the always on 24-7 baseload electricity that we need."
This statement assumes that wind does not blow convectionally. It also assumes that it would be impossible to invest first in wind-mills instead of coal.
If one believes that coal is economically responsible, of course, statements about baseload electricity necessitating more coal plants follow. But if the same amount of financial interest was in wind-mills, as, say, coal, then arguments about the necessity of coal would be dubious.
Coal might be financially responsible, but this is only because consumer demand hasn't changed responsibility towards coal. Coal can only be use-less when there is an economically viable alternative. So it seems the problem is in education...
- poemgranite
December 28, 2008 9:13PM
Reply to this Recommend (0)
Side: No
Thank You for your Comment
We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.
What Could We Replace Coal With?
Liberals.
- rkm
April 22, 2009 12:02PM
Reply to this Recommend (0)
Side: Uncommitted
Thank You for your Comment
We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.
Coal Deemed Unnecessary
The head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has announced that we do not need new coal fired power plants. The claim rests on the notion that efficiency, renewable energy , and energy storage can provide for any projected increases in base-load and peak energy demand.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601072&sid=ajl3fRv9AdDI&refer=energy
- ReEnergize Texas
April 30, 2009 2:59PM
Reply to this Recommend (0)
Side: No
Thank You for your Comment
We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.