Abstract
Nearly all scenarios for future U.S. energy supply systems show heavy dependence on coal ranging from 700 million tons to 3300 million tons per year. However, potential climate change resulting from increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations may prevent coal from playing a major role. The carbon in the carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuels each year is about 1/10 the net primary production by terrestrial plants, but the fossil fuel production has been growing exponentially at 4.3% per year. Observed atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have increased from 315 ppM in 1958 to 330 ppM in 1974--in 1900, before much fossil fuel was burned, it was about 290-295 ppM. Atmospheric models suggest a global warming of about 2 K if the concentration were to rise to two times its pre-1900 value--enough to change the global climate in major (but largely unknown) ways. With the current rate of increase in fossil fuel use, the atmospheric concentration should reach these levels by about 2030--earlier if coal replaces oil and gas.
Citation Formats
Rotty, R M, and Weinberg, A M.
How long is coal's future.
Netherlands: N. p.,
1977.
Web.
Rotty, R M, & Weinberg, A M.
How long is coal's future.
Netherlands.
Rotty, R M, and Weinberg, A M.
1977.
"How long is coal's future."
Netherlands.
@misc{etde_5069607,
title = {How long is coal's future}
author = {Rotty, R M, and Weinberg, A M}
abstractNote = {Nearly all scenarios for future U.S. energy supply systems show heavy dependence on coal ranging from 700 million tons to 3300 million tons per year. However, potential climate change resulting from increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations may prevent coal from playing a major role. The carbon in the carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuels each year is about 1/10 the net primary production by terrestrial plants, but the fossil fuel production has been growing exponentially at 4.3% per year. Observed atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have increased from 315 ppM in 1958 to 330 ppM in 1974--in 1900, before much fossil fuel was burned, it was about 290-295 ppM. Atmospheric models suggest a global warming of about 2 K if the concentration were to rise to two times its pre-1900 value--enough to change the global climate in major (but largely unknown) ways. With the current rate of increase in fossil fuel use, the atmospheric concentration should reach these levels by about 2030--earlier if coal replaces oil and gas.}
journal = []
volume = {1:1}
journal type = {AC}
place = {Netherlands}
year = {1977}
month = {Mar}
}
title = {How long is coal's future}
author = {Rotty, R M, and Weinberg, A M}
abstractNote = {Nearly all scenarios for future U.S. energy supply systems show heavy dependence on coal ranging from 700 million tons to 3300 million tons per year. However, potential climate change resulting from increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations may prevent coal from playing a major role. The carbon in the carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuels each year is about 1/10 the net primary production by terrestrial plants, but the fossil fuel production has been growing exponentially at 4.3% per year. Observed atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have increased from 315 ppM in 1958 to 330 ppM in 1974--in 1900, before much fossil fuel was burned, it was about 290-295 ppM. Atmospheric models suggest a global warming of about 2 K if the concentration were to rise to two times its pre-1900 value--enough to change the global climate in major (but largely unknown) ways. With the current rate of increase in fossil fuel use, the atmospheric concentration should reach these levels by about 2030--earlier if coal replaces oil and gas.}
journal = []
volume = {1:1}
journal type = {AC}
place = {Netherlands}
year = {1977}
month = {Mar}
}