"Coal makes us sick." This famous quote by none other than U.S. Democrats, Harry Reid could not be entirely accurate, but it captures the sentiment of many environmentalists.
The basic message is that the use of coal for power generation should be de-emphasized and must be greener, less environmentally friendly sources can be used. But with so much of the world, capacity for energy production based on coal, is what the prospects for a significant reduction in the use of coal?
What Is Disaster
Willthe use of coal to cleaner or renewable alternatives are reduced?
The answer, in a word, "No!"
According to The New York Times, the world can expect more use of coal, much larger by 2050.
Why?
The answer can be given in one word. "China"
The electricity in China is heavily dependent on coal, and this dependence will not change in the near future, in fact, will grow into. Economic growth inChina is and will continue to be driven by the combustion of coal, and the prospects are for significantly greater use of coal. China continues to build coal-based power generation facilities with amazing speed, which is currently commissioning a new coal-fired power plant almost every week.
Not all countries are increasing the use of coal for energy production. Europe and the U.S. are decreasing their reliance on coal in favor of renewable energy. The problem is for clean energythat the use of coal in China will more than double over the next 40 years. No matter how fast to use in other countries, alternative, renewable energy, is the continued growth of coal-fired power in China EFFORTS swamp to reduce dependence on coal in the rest of the world.
Since everyone believes that China is increasing its use of coal because of the lower cost of coal compared to other sources of power generation, there is a solution to the problem of drasticallyincreased emissions of greenhouse gases that result inevitably from the politics of China? Maybe.
If the carbon dioxide that can be generated and trapped separately from the exhaust of power plants spewed into the atmosphere as possible, reduce the problem of greenhouse gases would be possible.
Can then capture and sequestration (CCS) is the only hope to control emissions. Of course, the capture and storage adds costs.Research efforts are underway around the world on CCS technology, which is practical and economical way to prove, but even the best methods are the cost of at least $ 30-50 per tonne of CO2 emitted, which would increase the cost of energy electricity by about 30% add.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of China's energy policy is that China is not willing to do the work to develop cost-effectiveness of CCS technology itself. The leaders of the country are the record as saying that the rest of the world shouldto pay to develop this technology and then offer them in China. With the economy the fastest growing in the world, there is no reason why China should not accept their responsibility for the development of CCS technology. Either that, or develop alternatives to coal.
Coal for power generation - can the next environmental disaster in China are conducted?
