In the United States, coal which is primarily used for electricity generation is the second largest contributor of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas contributing to global warming, and sulfur dioxide responsible for causing acid rains.
Clean coal technology aims to reduce the environmental impact of coal energy generation by making the coal burn clean.
The importance of clean coal technology is that it could greatly reduce the US dependence on the use of foreign oil thereby providing energy security, and making a positive environmental impact.
If clean burning coal were to become a primary and environmentally clean source for generating electricity, then this technology could be combined with energy storage materials such as high capacity batteries that could be used in the electric vehicles, and other industries.
Although, there is a clean burning coal testing plant that was built in Germany in 2008 by the Swedish firm, it is not clear how economically feasible this technology is today. Another implication is that there is no clear way to dispose off carbon dioxide that is collected from the use of clean coal burning technology.
If the clean coal burning technology does not reach the level of economic feasibility, then there will be a potential for great disruptions due to the limited amounts of crude oil. There’s also a risk that countries that have a lot of coal to burn continue doing so without addressing the problem of greenhouse gas emissions.
Research and development to overcome CCS challenges
The biggest challenge in the clean coal burning technology lies in carbon dioxide capture and storage process (CCS). There are three principal ways to capture CO2 produced in power plants: Oxyfuel combustion, post-combustion and precombustion. There is currently a test plant in operation built by vattenfall in Germany. The tests are performed to evaluate the technology of Oxyfuel combustion before building a larger scale demonstration plant.
It seems likely that there will be more clean burning coal plants built and implemented throughout the world and potentially in the U.S through the governmental push, but it is hard to say if this technology will actually reach the level of economic feasibility, and if a solution can be found to dispose of the collected carbon dioxide gases.
My prediction is that clean burning coal technology may become more advanced, but I do not believe that that will be fully integrated as a viable source of clean electricity generation by 2025. Yet, I think that scientific advances made during this period will make this technology more feasible in the future. Further, just as the ongoing research and development can potentially make clean coal burning technology more feasible in the future, so will the advances in the wind farms, geothermal energy, solar technology, and nuclear power generation.
Other Alternatives to Hedge against potential Coal Technology Failure:
I think wind farms in particular have a strong potential to become a viable source of alternative energy. My belief is supported by the fact that wind power has become the second largest source of alternative energy after biomass derived energy in the United Kingdom. There is no reason why this technology could not become more integrated in the United States.
Also, I believe that nuclear power plants which accounted for 19.6% of the total electric energy consumption in the U.S in 2008, will become even more integrated thereby providing a solid hedge in case the clean coal technology never reaches the level of economic feasibility.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/overview.html
http://www.newenglandmetalroof.com/construction_directory/alternative-energy.html
Filed under:
Alternative Energy,Clean Coal Technology,Environment Conservation
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Uri
Excellent blog.
Here in Canada, we are finding the viability of wind farms (and solar) to be the opposite of your findings. That may be due to scale of projects or even wind patterns/locations of projects, or expensive technology. The cost of generation is extremely high here, where nuclear energy would be a far better option. Our governments are too focused on the political optics, versus the reality of underdeveloped technology, including solar energy. Proof of that is a recent freeze put on large offshore wind farm developments by our provincial government; not because it was the right thing to do, but because there is public outcry as the the overall concept of wind generation (and an upcoming election this fall). So much for credibility in the movement.
Energy for an industrialized nation needs to be clean and affordable. The green movement is forcing our nations into a third world status, while other nations are producing new clean technology in coal burning, hydrogen and energy from waste incineration. The Green Movement’s tunnel vision does not take the entire scope of the situation into view. There is public cynicism building toward their mandate; acid rain, the ozone holes, global warming, global ice age, climate change — these are all terms that seem to change with fashion. I am a skeptic, and I question everything; however, I think it would be wise to say that pollution in general, is bad. Period.
Despite the general assumptions, many scientists are now coming out of the woodwork, questioning the science behind the general assertion of global warming. Climate-gate exposed much of that truth. However, we must put aside our political bias, and concern ourselves with balanced, thought-out solutions to creating a cleaner world, at a rate and cost that is feasible without sending us into a tailspin that we will not pull out of in time. I hope we can all agree on that.
Continuing down this green path blindly, forces any industry we have left over to the less ‘developed’ nations to the east. The US dollar is being devalued, and will SURELY not become the currency of trade within the decade. China and Russia have already proven that, starting to refuse to deal in US dollars. That is something too late to change now. Get ready for mega inflation in the USA. Our nations (Canada & USA) should be the leaders in developing the latest technologies in the energy generation segment. That is where our government should be INVESTING the dollars, instead of throwing them willy-nilly at anything that resonates well with the voter. That is where our new economy has to grow out of. Germany, China and Japan are now the leaders in the field. Their economies are growing exponentially.
A simple example of a knee-jerk reaction here in Ontario, is the upcoming legislation to eliminate and ban the incandescent light bulb, and replace it with toxic CFLs. Meanwhile, LED development is already overtaking the technology behind the CFL as a safer and more efficient form of lighting. Where are they being developed and manufactured? China. What’s worse is the danger that the CFL poses to our health. However, our government seem to see past that, while they concern themselves with making sure our kids wear helmets when they ride their bike, and that we don’t talk on our cells and drive, because they care for the SAFETY of our families.
Unfortunately, Hollywood, Al Gore and twitter gained credibility over real science and economics. That’s where people get their cues for science, the economy and common sense. What a travesty. Thankfully, there are blogs like yours out there, where thoughtful and intelligent discussion can happen.
Keep up the great work. I’ll keep visiting.
Roberto Sales