Future of Coal

[Bright Raven]

Coal is struggling to compete. The issues are economic. Mining requires enormous investment capital. The cost of production includes:

Labor
Land and mineral acquisition
Large equipment
Infrastructure - loading tipples and handling.
Mining methods involve large earth moving operations.
Reclamation costs.

Other energy sources are simply cheaper. As a result Maysville, known for two large coal fired power plants on the Ohio River, is going to suffer a major loss of jobs.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.maysvill ... e.amp.html

 

[True Grit Farms]

It's all because of the EPA. We definitely need to protect the people and environment. The problem is everyone just goes overboard making jobs for themselves and their causes.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

The selfish part of me wishes that they'd dig ours before coal goes bust. The other 98% of me is glad they've never come knocking. They tried deep mining our place in the early 90's, but couldn't keep a roof in it and fought water so bad they quit. I always figured they'd want to come back and strip mine it.

 

[Craig Miller]

Struggles of oil and gas

Labor
Land and mineral acquisition
Large equipment: drilling rigs, Moving trucks
Infrastructure: miles of pipelines, compressors,
Trucking
Large earth moving equipment to build locations, clear pipelines
Reclamation cost

They still remain competitive. Coal has lost its appeal to the average American which is why they can't compete. It's just so dirty... op:

 

[Caustic Burno]

They built a syngas plant in WV to convert coal to fuel oils gasoline etc.
It is a fairly new plant.

 

[Bright Raven]

Struggles of oil and gas

Labor
Land and mineral acquisition
Large equipment: drilling rigs, Moving trucks
Infrastructure: miles of pipelines, compressors,
Trucking
Large earth moving equipment to build locations, clear pipelines
Reclamation cost

They still remain competitive. Coal has lost its appeal to the average American which is why they can't compete. It's just so dirty... op:

Today In Energy, June 6, 2017:

In 2016, natural gas provided 34% of total electricity generation, surpassing coal to become the leading generation source. Natural gas first exceeded coal as the most common electricity fuel on a monthly basis in April 2015 and on an annual basis in 2016. The increase in natural gas generation since 2005 is primarily a result of the continued cost competitiveness of natural gas relative to coal.

 

[Bright Raven]

The J.M. Stuart Station and Killen Station coal-fired power plants here are old. DP & L says the only way they can continue to operate is with a subsidy. It goes back to the economics of modern technology.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

We have a NG power plant about 12 miles from home. The transmission lines cut one of our corners......Our power comes from the new coal gasification plant that is 40 miles from here and went over budget by gozillions.
https://www.reuters.com/article/utiliti ... G720130610

 

[Bigfoot]

Coal keeps the lights on
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3cj2OQZHbNk

 

[Bright Raven]

We have a NG power plant about 12 miles from home. The transmission lines cut one of our corners......Our power comes from the new coal gasification plant that is 40 miles from here and went over budget by gozillions.
https://www.reuters.com/article/utiliti ... G720130610

The public does not appreciate how cheap energy really is.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Most of the mines in Southern Illinois were shut down because the EPA said our coal is too dirty. We have to haul in coal from all over the country, while our's just sits here. Less profitable to buy, and ship coal from 500+ miles away, then to just go get it out of your backyard.

 

[danl]

Is there any place you can buy a pickup load of coal?

I have a outdoor wood boiler and it is capable of burning coal. Always wanted to try.
None for sale in Southeast MO

 

[BFE]

Most of the mines in Southern Illinois were shut down because the EPA said our coal is too dirty. We have to haul in coal from all over the country, while our's just sits here. Less profitable to buy, and ship coal from 500+ miles away, then to just go get it out of your backyard.

I know of around 500 coal mine jobs lost in a three county area alone in the last few years. That's a lot of paychecks in an economically depressed area.

 

[Brute 23]

Ya it has nothing to do with the EPA. Coal is inneficient. You can look up the output of each plant and the conversion. Unless NG goes thru the roof... which it never will... Coal is done as the contracts start running out.

My brother can run the numbers on this stuff. It is crazy. One NG plant needs like 4 people and a coal plant needs a huge operation. That is just one of the innefiencencies.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Nuclear

 

[Bestoutwest]

Nuclear

I wish more people would get on board with this, but the hippies have pretty much killed it. Getting started is too difficult and too expensive so what's the point? They wanted to do one here in Idaho when I first moved here, heard a few things about it, but the cost for the regulatory BS shut it down. In the right capacity, it's a very safe and efficient option. Putting it on the coast of an earthquake, tsunami prone country is not the best idea.

 

[1wlimo]

Nuclear

I wish more people would get on board with this, but the hippies have pretty much killed it. Getting started is too difficult and too expensive so what's the point? They wanted to do one here in Idaho when I first moved here, heard a few things about it, but the cost for the regulatory BS shut it down. In the right capacity, it's a very safe and efficient option. Putting it on the coast of an earthquake, tsunami prone country is not the best idea.

Nuclear was a big employer where I grew up. But solar is now the cheapest way to build new capacity. With new ways of storing the power when it is not needed solar will become more viable.

Coal and Nuclear are also very slow to respond to demand. NG is very quick, and battery is even quicker. There are a lot of new ways to store energy so that wind, and solar can supply demand when it is there.

 

[Logar]

Burning coal and utilizing the right kind of scrubbers in the stacks is essentially producing a clean energy - pictures of stacks emitting white smoke in environazis propaganda papers and magazines are usually those emitting steam on a cold day.

China, India and Pakistan are heavily polluted because of cheap coal and no scrubbers in the stacks.

All forms of coal are viable under the right conditions, however you can be certain that many will disagree. Some scrubbers can remove almost all carcinogenic emissions. In the end those who have the money make the rules.

Several thousand private jets showed up and Davos to decide how those who do not have the cash to get invited to the party will live.

They DO NOT worry about emissions or they would have walked to Davos.

Most third world countries do not have the development and infrastructure to find, produce, transport and then distribute natural gas. America is now one of, if not the largest producers of oil and natural gas - and about time - put the evil Saudis in their place.

While coal may be slowly phased out of American power production, it is being phased in in several countries around the world.

So, you might have a market to ship it to them............

Honestly I do not see coal disappearing in my life time.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Hydro electric is still the cheapest and cleanest reliable electric generation.

 

[hurleyjd]

Nuclear fusion is being studied now and someone somewhere will figure out how to harness it. Could be Musk