Innovative Energy & Research
Open Access

Coal is the most widely available fossil fuel resource. It forms the backbone of the world’s electricity supply, providing more than 40% of our electricity needs. It is also a key component in the production of steel and concrete; vital materials in building sustainable societies. Energy is critical to sustainable development to building stronger communities with hospitals and schools. It supports business and industry so that they can deliver sustainable employment and economic growth. Across the world there are 1.3 billion people without access to electricity. International action is needed to change this. It is predicted that by 2035, unless action is taken, around one billion people will still be living without electricity. The world needs an energy access target to provide energy to those who need it most. Coal will be the bedrock on which energy access is built [1].

International Energy Agency projections show that it will provide more than half of the ‘on-grid’ electricity needed to deliver energy for all. Clean coal technologies, such as advanced coal-fired power generation and carbon capture and storage, can enable the world’s coal resource to be used in line with environmental and climate objectives. Coal mining provides more than seven million jobs worldwide and in 2010 the industry invested more than US$7 billion in capital expenditure in developing countries [2].

Apart from the CO produced during coal combustion, operations related to flue gas clean-up produce 2 more CO than any other upstream process. Limestone production, transportation, and use account for 2 59% and 62% of the non-coal CO emissions in the Average and NSPS systems. These amounts are 2 greater than twice the CO emissions related to transportation of the coal [3]. In the LEBS system, operations 2 associated with the production and uses of natural gas to regenerate the CuO sorbent are responsible for 35% of the total non-coal CO emissions. Coal transportation, in this system, produces nearly 40% of 2 the non-coal CO2[4].

The prudent us of coal will allow the U. S. the time needed to develop viable alternative energy sources primarily solar technology and fuel from grain---without any negative impact on our national economy [5].

Coal can be mined and burned with little environmental impact. There has been tremendous strides in environmental responsibility with mining coal and burning coal. However, there still is pressure of global warming. If we burn less fossil fuels, what, as a practical matter, is our energy alternative? Nuclear? Hydro? Solar (there is no practical way to provide the massive amounts of electricity needed to run our country through solar energy---it is viewed as impractical at this time).