Larenz Devaren Introduction to Coal Clean Coal Technology

Larenz Devaren

§ Introduction to Coal § Clean Coal Technology § Economic Challenges § Questions / Discussion § Citations

Introduction to Coal § According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine in 2015 United States mines produced about 900 million tons of coal § That is only a tiny fraction of the 257 billion tons of coal in United States recoverable reserves § More than 25% of the world’s total coal reserves are located in the United States

Introduction to Coal § According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine in 2015 United States mines produced about 900 million tons of coal § That is only a tiny fraction of the 257 billion tons of coal in United States recoverable reserves § More than 25% of the world’s total coal reserves are located in the United States

Introduction to Coal § According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine in 2015 United States mines produced about 900 million tons of coal § That is only a tiny fraction of the 257 billion tons of coal in United States recoverable reserves § More than 25% of the world’s total coal reserves are located in the United States

Introduction to Coal § Coal consumption in the United States is projected to only slightly decrease over the next 25 years from 801 million tons in 2015 to 557 tons by 2040 § This is a decrease of about 1. 4% per year § However, this projection was before the election of President Trump who promised to revive coal jobs

Introduction to Coal § Coal consumption in the United States is projected to only slightly decrease over the next 25 years from 801 million tons in 2015 to 557 tons by 2040 § This is a decrease of about 1. 4% per year § However, this projection was before the election of President Trump who promised to revive coal jobs

Introduction to Coal § Coal consumption in the United States is projected to only slightly decrease over the next 25 years from 801 million tons in 2015 to 557 tons by 2040 § This is a decrease of about 1. 4% per year § However, this projection was before the election of President Trump who promised to revive coal jobs

Introduction to Coal § Of all the fossil-fuel sources (coal, oil, and natural gas) coal is the least expensive for its energy content § Coal plays a major factor for how low the cost of electricity is in the United States § This is why the cost of electricity in states with high coal production such as Wyoming, West Virginia, and Kentucky have some of the lowest costs for electricity

Introduction to Coal § Of all the fossil-fuel sources (coal, oil, and natural gas) coal is the least expensive for its energy content § Coal plays a major factor for how low the cost of electricity is in the United States § This is why the cost of electricity in states with high coal production such as Wyoming, West Virginia, and Kentucky have some of the lowest costs for electricity

Introduction to Coal § Of all the fossil-fuel sources (coal, oil, and natural gas) coal is the least expensive for its energy content § Coal plays a major factor for how low the cost of electricity is in the United States § The cost of electricity in states with high coal production such as Wyoming, West Virginia, and Kentucky have some of the lowest costs for electricity

Introduction to Coal § The burning of coal is a major source of carbon dioxide emission § Mining coal can also have negative effects such as disturbing the nearby land polluting the nearby streams and rivers § The burning of coal also releases a significant amount of methane, a problematic greenhouse gas

Introduction to Coal § The burning of coal is a major source of carbon dioxide emission § Mining coal can also have negative effects such as disturbing the nearby land polluting the nearby water supplies § The burning of coal also releases a significant amount of methane, a problematic greenhouse gas

Introduction to Coal § The burning of coal is a major source of carbon dioxide emission § Mining coal can also have negative effects such as disturbing the nearby land polluting the nearby water supplies § The burning of coal also releases a significant amount of methane, a problematic greenhouse gas

Clean Coal Technology § Coal-fired electric power plants make up the largest source of sulfur dioxide emission in the United States § In September, the EPA finalized Federal Implementation Plans for the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which calls for a 53% reduction in sulfur dioxide emission § To meet this goal, plant owners must either use lower sulfur coal in their boilers or install flue gas desulfurization (FGD) scrubbers

Clean Coal Technology § Coal-fired electric power plants make up the largest source of sulfur dioxide emission in the United States § In September, the EPA finalized Federal Implementation Plans for the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which calls for a 53% reduction in sulfur dioxide emission § To meet this goal, plant owners must either use lower sulfur coal in their boilers or install flue gas desulfurization (FGD) scrubbers

Clean Coal Technology § Coal-fired electric power plants make up the largest source of sulfur dioxide emission in the United States § In September, the EPA finalized Federal Implementation Plans for the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which calls for a 53% reduction in sulfur dioxide emission § To meet this goal, plant owners must either use lower sulfur coal in their boilers or install flue gas desulfurization (FGD) scrubbers

Clean Coal Technology § Some coals found in the Wyoming and Montana have less than 1% sulfur content, as compared to the coals in Ohio and West Virginia which have 3 -10% sulfur content § However, coal can also be lowered in sulfur content simply by being broken up into smaller chunks and cleaned § Tiny specks of sulfur can be washed away in large water-filled tanks, where coal floats to the surface and sulfur impurities sink to the bottom

Clean Coal Technology § Some coals found in the Wyoming and Montana have less than 1% sulfur content, as compared to the coals in Ohio and West Virginia which have 3 -10% sulfur content § However, coal can also be lowered in sulfur content simply by being broken up into smaller chunks and cleaned § Tiny specks of sulfur can be washed away in large water-filled tanks, where coal floats to the surface and sulfur impurities sink to the bottom

Clean Coal Technology § Some coals found in the Wyoming and Montana have less than 1% sulfur content, as compared to the coals in Ohio and West Virginia which have 3 -10% sulfur content § However, coal can also be lowered in sulfur content simply by being broken up into smaller chunks and cleaned § Tiny specks of sulfur can be washed away in large water-filled tanks, where coal floats to the surface and sulfur impurities sink to the bottom

Clean Coal Technology § Sulfur dioxide is an acid gas, and therefore is typically removed from the flue gas by an alkaline § The most common alkaline agent to use is limestone, due to its very low cost § When a strong acid, such as sulfur dioxide, comes in contact with limestone, the sulfur dioxide is neutralized § The efficiency of such scrubbers is in the range of 50 -90%

Clean Coal Technology § Sulfur dioxide is an acid gas, and therefore is typically removed from the flue gas by an alkaline § The most common alkaline agent to use is limestone, due to its very low cost § When a strong acid, such as sulfur dioxide, comes in contact with limestone, the sulfur dioxide is neutralized § The efficiency of such scrubbers is in the range of 50 -90%

Clean Coal Technology § Sulfur dioxide is an acid gas, and therefore is typically removed from the flue gas by an alkaline § The most common alkaline agent to use is limestone, due to its very low cost § When a strong acid, such as sulfur dioxide, comes in contact with limestone, the sulfur dioxide is neutralized § The efficiency of such scrubbers is in the range of 50 -90%

Clean Coal Technology § Sulfur dioxide is an acid gas, and therefore is typically removed from the flue gas by an alkaline § The most common alkaline agent to use is limestone, due to its very low cost § When a strong acid, such as sulfur dioxide, comes in contact with limestone, the sulfur dioxide is neutralized § The efficiency of such scrubbers is in the range of 50 -90%

Economic Challenges § As discussed before, the cost of coal is a huge reason the prices of electricity in the United States are low compared to Europe § Theoretically, if coal production was eliminated through environmental policy, we would expect to see the price of electricity increase dramatically § This increase in electricity would disproportionally affect lower class Americans who may already struggle with electricity costs

Economic Challenges § As discussed before, the cost of coal is a huge reason the prices of electricity in the United States are low compared to Europe § Theoretically, if coal production was eliminated through environmental policy, we would expect to see the price of electricity increase dramatically § This increase in electricity would disproportionally affect lower class Americans who may already struggle with electricity costs

Economic Challenges § As discussed before, the cost of coal is a huge reason the prices of electricity in the United States are low compared to Europe § Theoretically, if coal production was eliminated through environmental policy, we would expect to see the price of electricity increase dramatically § This increase in electricity costs would disproportionally affect lower-class Americans who may already struggle with electricity costs

Economic Challenges § Oregon, where coal is used to produce less than 1% of the electricity , has passed a bill to eliminate the use of coal by the year 2030 § However, in other states such as West Virginia, where coal is used to produce over 95% of the electricity, there is an issue of not only energy, but economy in regards to the coal industry § An outright ban on coal would eliminate one of West Virginia’s largest economy sectors, as well as significantly reduce supply of a cheap energy source, leading to an increase in electricity prices

Economic Challenges § Oregon, where coal is used to produce less than 1% of the electricity , has passed a bill to eliminate the use of coal by the year 2030 § However, in other states such as West Virginia, where coal is used to produce over 95% of the electricity, there is an issue of not only energy, but economy § An outright ban on coal would eliminate one of West Virginia’s largest economy sectors, as well as significantly reduce supply of a cheap energy source, leading to an increase in electricity prices

Economic Challenges § Oregon, where coal is used to produce less than 1% of the electricity , has passed a bill to eliminate the use of coal by the year 2030 § However, in other states such as West Virginia, where coal is used to produce over 95% of the electricity, there is an issue of not only energy, but economy § An outright ban on coal would eliminate one of West Virginia’s largest economy sectors, as well as significantly reduce supply of a cheap energy source, leading to an increase in electricity prices

Questions / Discussion § What is the best way to decrease the harmful pollution caused by coal-fired electricity plants? § What do we do with the unskilled coal miners in states where coal is a large part of their economy? § How do we offset the higher energy costs associated with a nocoal economy? § Is the United States even ready to give up coal as an energy source?

Citations § http: //needtoknow. nas. edu/energy/ energy-sources/fossil-fuels/coal/ § https: //www 3. epa. gov/ttncatc 1/dir 1 /ffdg. pdf § http: //www. fossil. energy. gov/educat ion/energylessons/coal_cct 2. ht ml § http: //www. foxnews. com/politics/2 016/08/24/warnings-rate-hikes-asoregon-becomes-1 st-state-to-killcoal. html § http: //www. eia. gov/todayinenergy/ detail. php? id=4410 § https: //www. epa. gov/airmarkets/fin al-cross-state-air-pollution-ruleupdate § https: //www. eia. gov/tools/faq. cfm? id=69&t=2 § https: //www. washingtonpost. com/g raphics/national/power-plants/ § http: //www. resilience. org/stories/20 16 -03 -20/oregon-says-yes-to-coalfree-electricity/