Coal: Cornerstone of America`s competitive advantage in world markets
- Mills-McCarthy and Associates Inc., Chevy Chase, MD (United States)
The United States` competitive position in world markets will be determined by many forces. Two of the fundamental factors are the increased use of new technologies, and the availability of low-cost electricity to operate those technologies. The US currently has an will likely continue to have market dominance in both these critical areas. Both of these factors are intimately related since the primary source of new technologies is electric in nature. And, because low-cost coal now dominates and will continue to dominate the electric supply system, and because the US has both an abundance of coal and the world`s largest fleet of coal-fired power plants, the US will have an expanding base of low-cost electricity that will secure its current competitive advantage for years to come. Electric technologies and, increasingly, computer-based technologies integrated with electric technologies are the primary sources of innovative advancement and economic growth. As a consequence, the growth in electricity, which has historically tracked GNP growth, is expected to continue. And, with the restructuring of the electric utility industry and the emergence of vigorous competition, prices are expected to decline as competition increases. The net effect of these forces will be to dramatically increase the use of electric technologies -- and those sources of electricity that can provide low-cost electricity. The data show that coal, the primary source of new los-cost electricity, will supply between one-half and three-fourths of all new electric supply through 2010, at prices of about 3{cents}/kWh, and can do so without new power plant construction. Since the use of coal is expected to rise by at least 200 to 250 million tons/year over the current consumption of 850 million tons, and could increase as much as 400 million tons/yr, some have raised concerns about the emissions impact from the power plants. This report also shows that the net effect of increased electric use, assuming coal dominance, will be a decrease in emissions. This decrease will occur for two reasons: (a) power plants are becoming increasingly clean, and (b) the electric technologies that consume the electricity displace more emissions than are created at the power plants.
- Research Organization:
- National Mining Association, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 682290
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970121-Vol.1; ON: DE97006902; TRN: IM9942%%275
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5. annual clean coal technology conference: powering the next millennium, Tampa, FL (United States), 7-10 Jan 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1997]; Related Information: Is Part Of 5. annual clean coal technology conference: powering the next millennium. Vol.1; PB: 374 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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