Coal

Could peak coal occur as soon as 2025 ?

I wrote recently that  global coal reserves may be overestimated. At the time, the data I was quoting noted that coal reserves could be overestimated by 23 %. Now a new study show that coal supply could start decreasing by as early as 2025. With peak oil also due to occur in the very next …

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Why CCS won’t solve the climate change problem

The French magazine Science et Vie published this month a most interesting article on why Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) won’t be able to deliver all its promises of mitigating climate change. Indeed to many international scientific experts putting carbon to the ground is too risky, too expansive, too little and… too late ! This …

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America can cut its coal consumption by 62 %

According to a recent study carried out by the Rocky Mountain Institute, the United States could cut their consumption of coal by 62 % before as early as 2020. This would represent savings of 1.2m gigawatt-hours annually. The equivalent of 30 % of the US annual electricity use could be saved by increasing the energy …

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China will burn coal (a little) more efficiently

According to Clean Tech, China will close down 31 GW of inefficient coal-fired plants and will replace them by cleaner and more efficient ones. This has to be compared with the 792.5 GW of coal plants at the end of 2008 in the country. Previously applied, such measures enabled the country to decrease the amount …

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A massive coal sludge accident in Tennessee

I never have been a fan of coal as it is by very far the most carbon dioxide emitting energy solution. It is also the most polluting as what occurred on December 22nd  in Tennessee  shows. Indeed 48 times in volume of what was spilled by the Exxon Valdez was accidentally released over 160 hectares …

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Overestimated global coal reserves

According to recent studies global coal reserves may be much smaller than previously thought. Indeed, estimates are now of 662 billion tons instead of 850 billion tons. That’s 23 percent smaller. So, what occurred with estimates of remaining oil is also true here : countries overestimated their coal reserves and peak coal is nearer than …

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A brilliant solution for abandoned coal mines

What if old coal mines could provide us with clean and renewable energy ? No, I am not giving credence to clean coal, I am writing about a great idea a Dutch village had. Heerlen inhabitants thought about repurposing their old coal mine – flooded with hot water – and thought about tapping all this …

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China is moving on climate change

According to Associated Press, China is increasingly aware of the threats of climate change, water crises and air pollution. This is palpable at the current Poznan talks. More willing than ever to cooperate on mitigating the phenomenon, the top greenhouse gases emitter and world’s most populous nation will become greener in the next years. This could …

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US agency blocks construction of coal-fired plant

The United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a ruling that may well bring an end to the constructions of coal-fired plants in the country. As the Bush Presidency is ending, this institution is finally getting more serious on limiting carbon dioxide emissions of the world’s largest emitter. The construction and use of alternative energy …

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Eastern European countries are plagued by coal

Coal is by far the most polluting and most greenhouse gases energy source. We have seen that China has became the world’s most CO2 emitting country because of this. But did you know that much nearer to us, Eastern European countries like Poland are plagued by the massive use of coal, which is the origin …

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