Tag Archives: coal
Are Coal Power Plants Now Too Expensive to Pursue?
A coal project starting today might well be nearing completion just in time for its obsolescence. There’s no guarantee for anyone, but those that tie themselves up with enormous financial commitments to centralized projects that do not support the emerging paradigm are sure to have a tougher time surviving. Continue reading
The Dirtiest of the Dirty Coal Power Plants
Within the top 10 for CO2 emissions rate, top spot goes to Westar Energy’s 1,857-megawatt Jeffrey Energy Center, a plant burning Powder River Basin coal north of Topeka, Kansas, that powered out 1,086 kilograms of CO2 per megawatt-hour. Continue reading
Brand New Power Plant is Idled by the Economy
Coal-fired Spiritwood Station was built to serve electric co-ops. But it’s turned into a money drain. Continue reading
Big Carbon Declares War on America and the Planet
When I was a boy, America owned half the wealth on Earth. We lost that advantage mainly due to our carbon addiction, which causes us to hemorrhage nearly $750 billion annually in American wealth on foreign oil. The Chinese would naturally like us to spend what’s left of our national wealth purchasing Chinese solar panels, Chinese LED lights, and Chinese wind turbines and electric cars. Continue reading
Big Coal: Children’s Health is Too Expensive
Power plants are responsible for 50 percent of mercury emissions, over 50 percent of acid gas emissions, and about 25 percent of toxic metal emissions in the United States. Yet ACCCE’s member companies want to continue jeopardizing the public’s health with this unfettered pollution. They have ample cash reserves to easily withstand any economic impact of pollution reductions. Continue reading
Coal is King on the Rails Now, But Maybe Not Forever
BNSF runs dozens of mile-and-a-half-long coal trains every day from mines in Wyoming to power plants. Environmental concerns might not be what sends coal trains into the history books. Railroads can make money hauling other goods and they aren’t spending hundreds of millions of dollars on new facilities to run more coal trains. Continue reading
Exelon’s Rowe an Unlikely Booster for Shale Gas
“Somebody who really believes that the climate problem is the biggest problem we face will correctly point out that gas only deals with it for 20 years, and then the carbon in gas becomes a major impediment,” he said. “Well, 20 years is a long time. Better that we should do something now than wait for a perfect solution 20 years down the road.” Continue reading
Coal Tax Credit System Draws Criticism from Legislative Panel Chairman
“I want to discuss the coal tax credit in some depth because I think it is a poster child for just about everything that is wrong with this system,” Dank said during the panel’s meeting Wednesday. Continue reading
Let’s Unplug Dirty, Old Coal Plants
Across the nation, old coal-fired power plants are gasping for their last breath, having survived long past their prime because of political favors and weak government regulations. The nation is at an energy crossroads. One path cuts old ties and moves on to a clean energy future powered by a mix of next generation power sources. The other path prolongs our dependence on an energy source that is cooking the planet and making us sick. Continue reading
Coal’s Woes Run Deeper than EPA Regs
Blaming coal’s woes on the proposed environmental regulations tells only a fraction of the story. The rest can be explained by competition from other coal states as well as from cheaper and cleaner fuels. Continue reading
