Outlook for coal: bright, but with problems. [Transport, environmental, and production constraints]

Journal Article · Mon Feb 14 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Chem. Eng. News; (United States)

OSTI ID:7121301

Coal, as a previously discarded source of energy, presents a political, economic, and technical dilemma of how to develop it without disrupting our national life. With at least 30 states having commercially developable coal deposits, national policies must be set to resolve issues of mining and transporting, gasification and liquefaction, and power generation. Coal is expected to provide energy for 100 to 300 years, depending on demand growth. Except for large-scale plants, coal is more economical than nuclear power for electricity generation and may account for as much as 46 percent of new generating capacity by 1985. A shift from oil- to coal-fired plants in the near-term will require utilities to pay heavily for investment money, increase rates to customers, and face uncertainties inherent in present policies. Eastern and western coal are becoming increasingly competitive as a result of controversies over rail and pipeline transportation and environmental issues. Although some strip mining must be pursued where the land can be reclaimed, the abundance of coal calls for deep mining. Appropriate legislation is needed to resolve some of the confusion over terminology. Construction of plants, opening new mines, and developing coal technology will cost about $28 billion a year. The industry will need to double labor recruitment to replace a large proportion of retirement-age workers. Promoters are optimistic over the future of coal because there is no visible alternative. (DCK)

• OSTI ID: 7121301
• Journal Information: Chem. Eng. News; (United States), Journal Name: Chem. Eng. News; (United States) Vol. 55:7; ISSN CENEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200000 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294001* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
AVAILABILITY
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL INDUSTRY
COAL LIQUEFACTION
COAL MINES
CONSTRUCTION
DEMAND FACTORS
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY SUPPLIES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FINANCING
FORECASTING
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GASIFICATION
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
LEGISLATION
LIQUEFACTION
MANPOWER
MINES
PIPELINES
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RAILWAYS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES