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New research from North Carolina State University and the University of Colorado Boulder finds that steep declines in the use of coal for power generation over the past decade were caused largely by less expensive natural gas and the availability of wind energy -- not by environmental regulations.
"From 2008 to 2013, coal dropped from about 50 percent of U.S. power generation to around 30 percent," says Harrison Fell, an associate professor of resource economics at NC State and co-lead author of a paper on the work.
"Coal boosters blamed stiffer regulations, calling it a 'war on coal.' But that same time period saw a steep drop in the cost of natural gas and an increase in wind generation. We wanted to know how big a role each of these factors played in driving down the demand for coal."
(Score: 3, Informative) by frojack on Saturday May 05 2018, @07:18PM (2 children)
Actually, China has a lot of coal. The dirty brown type. [airclim.org]
The same type Germany is STILL burning in increasing tonnage while telling the world its going solar. Germany is still the #1 producer of Lignite coal, [wikipedia.org] with China a close second.
What China (and other Asian countries buy from the US is high grade metallurgical coal, Bituminous, and some Anthracite for steel production, coking and, cleaner burning etc. (Anthracite burns so clean it is still allowed in Metropolitan London as a heating fuel).
Every ton of Bituminous coal or Anthracite coal they import displaces several tons of domestic Lignite used, and actually improves China's air quality. And since they export a lot of their dirty air, it improves far beyond their borders.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Sunday May 06 2018, @01:31AM
Not saying that it's all bad - just saying that the people taking the profits are getting a boost to their bottom line from people, animals and ecosystems who have not consented to the deal.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Sunday May 06 2018, @02:18AM
Thank you, Frojack - I have zero experience with lignite. It's something I've read about. So, basically, if that were lignite out in the pasture, it would have taken at least double the work, to get about half the heat, while pouring pollutants into the air. Got it. Not to mention, like some poor grades of diesel fuel, it has a high sulfur content which contributes to acid rain.