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Coal versus Natural Gas

Coal is absolutely the worst choice we could have as far as producing Power goes. It contains more pounds of CO2 per million BTUs and any other power source we use, almost twice that of natural gas.

As we look at the conundrum that we face, an electronic world but is morphing before our eyes, the onset of the hybrid and/or electric vehicle at a time when the number of vehicles in the world is set to leap forward, and the almost near certainty of the catastrophic effects this will have on our climate it can seem hopeless.

Natural gas could possibly be the solution, albeit a temporary solution. There is no way that we can do without the power plants that are in place, our thirst for more Energy is just uncontrollable. What we do have is an abundance of natural gas available via multiple sources throughout the country and the world. Although it is still a carbon producing fuel it just may be possible that it is a stopgap needed as we transition between traditional energy production and renewable/Green energy production.

If any of you out there who read this blog are aware of some good articles on this were some good statistics we would love to see it. What is the cost of converting coal-fired power plant to natural gas, what is the difference in the cost of producing energy from a natural gas-fired power plant.

As you read this remember that there is an extremely powerful coalition that supports the coal industry and tries to make believe a clean coal is a part of our future.

After years of mine shutdowns, there is a renewed interest in coal in the United States. Companies such as Quest Minerals and Mining Corp. are now reopening mines and resuming coal production.

There are 274 billion tons of coal in mines across the country. That amount of coal could last the United States for about 250 years, considering that the average American uses 7,000 pounds of coal each year. Using this resource decreases dependence of foreign oil and stimulates the economy in several ways.

First, coal stimulates the American economy by maintaining and creating jobs for people that work in the mines and in coal transportation. For each of the four major freight rail lines, coal represents at least 40 percent of the total tonnage hauled each year. Many people are dependent on coal for their livelihood and will remain so if Americans increase their use of coal as an energy source.

Moreover, because coal is a domestic resource, the cost of transporting it is much lower than the cost of importing oil from other nations. Transportation costs of coal are also lower because there are more options for transporting coal from one place to another. Coal is carried by barge and by train.

Using coal is beneficial for more than just jobs and reducing transportation costs. The abundance of coal allows the price to remain stable, unlike oil prices in the volatile Middle East. Commodities like coal, whose costs remain stable or decrease, keep inflation low. Low inflation rates allow Americans to be confident that their savings and investments are safe.

Another major benefit of coal power is the cost of Electricity generated by coal. Generation of coal power costs one-fourth that of natural gas power generation. Businesses using coal power keep their overhead costs low and maximize profitability. Furthermore, coal is used to generate electricity for telecommunications, computers and all other electric-based technologies that boost the American economy.