There's no such thing as "clean coal"
Both political candidates mentioned exploring so-called clean coal technologies; that is to say, the capturing of the pollution as coal is being burned. Those of us in the environmentalist world always laugh when this term "clean coal" is used.
It is Orwellian and oxymoronic at the same time as there is no such thing as clean coal. There is no technology for it. It simply doesn't exist any more than a hydrogen fuel cell exists. The idea is a good one, but the only people pushing for it are the coal and gas industry.
The oil, gas and coal industries want to keep us dependent on their fuels. If they can stall another decade or three, all the better.
Are these the people we should help shape our future energy policy?
Check out this: This is Reality this is a funny and short video about clean coal that really captures the issue.
Labels: carbon, energy, global warming
from Eric Corey Freed @ 12/09/2008
1 comments
1 Comments:
Good call-
And I'm excited that coal use is stagnating in the US for at least the next couple of years. Some intense changes in US energy (especially driving) habits are taking place. One exciting development is that we are consuming more than 5.5% less oil in ‘08 and thus carbon emissions are poised to fall 2.5% this year. See details at:
http://setenergy.org/2008/12/09/eia-predicts-first-global-oil-demand-drop-in-a-quarter-century/
Even China emissions are falling this quarter as electricity consumption falls a record in November. See details at: http://setenergy.org/2008/12/05/china-power-generation-falls-record-amount-climate-hope-alive/
The real challenge will be how we continue emissions reduction once the economy picks up again. Here's my hope for 2009: http://setenergy.org/2008/12/07/obama-co-make-2009-year-of-efficiency/
If you find the SET daily blog on major energy and climate developments useful at http://www.setenergy.org , please consider adding it to your blogroll.
Onwards to sustainability,
Dennis
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