coal

Coal is one of the oldest (and most popular) forms of energy in the entire world. Its history goes back to 200 BC when it was first used as fuel by the Han Dynasty. Although recently coal seems to have become a "politically incorrect" source of energy by many "Green" activists, it is still one of the most used forms of energy in the world.

At its current rate of use, the world's coal supply will last about 132 years; however, the rate of coal consumption is increasing every year. Some scientists say the world's coal resources could be depleted in as little as 55 years.

Let's give this timeline some perspective: at the current global energy consumption there is enough coal in the world to provide the entire planet with all of its energy needs for about 37 more years. Now, the world is using many different sources of energy, so it likely won't be depleted that quickly, but it's no secret that the world's coal supply is dwindling.

Many people are moving away from coal to cleaner, more efficient energy sources. Coal, they say, is dirty, doesn't burn cleanly, and has the reputation of being an "outdated" form of energy. Bloggers speaking about coal can be found at sites like coalblog.

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Original Technorati articles tagged “coal”

• in Green
  Just Passing Through – How China's Emissions Actually Come Right Back At Us
  A new study draws big black arrows of carbon emissions from source to consumer - and China's off the hook
  by wyrdways / on Nov 1, 2011
• in Film
  The Last Mountain Is Now on DVD
  Controversial documentary THE LAST MOUNTAIN is now available on DVD.
  by missbobetier / on Oct 31, 2011
• in Politics
  Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident may not Sabotage the World Energy Needs
  The world should not exit nuclear energy but draw lessons from Fukushima Daiich disaster and strengthen nuclear safety
  by chicksmore / on Jul 8, 2011

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “coal”

 

• Fairbanks coal bunkers were the last of their kind in Alaska

  
  Sketches of Alaska — Authority: 101
  Coal bunkers as they looked in 1994 Fairbanks was never a coal-mining town, but coal did helpFairbanks recover from the lean times of the late 1910s and early 1920s. In1910 about 11,000 people lived in the Fairbanks area (the city had 3,541residents) but after the drift mines were played out, most miners ...
  3 hours ago

• Eight Questions: Tim Wright, ‘Black Gold and Blood Stained Coal’

  
  WSJ.com: China Journal — Authority: 125
  Routledge If you want to understand China’s reform-era growing pains you can do a lot worse than dig into the coal industry. Coal powers China’s industry, pollutes its environment, and is the site of conflict for the state and private entrepreneurs – each eager to monopolize control of a precious resource. ...
  1 day ago

• R-Power protests review of Sasan coal diversion

  
  Indian Power Sector — Authority: 129
  Reliance Power (R-Power) has rushed to rebut an anticipated adverse comment by the Union comptroller and auditor-general (CAG) for having been allowed, in 2008, to divert coal from the mines allotted for its Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at Sasan in Madhya Pradesh to its other mega project at [...]
  1 day ago

• Rail Bottlenecks Thwart India Efforts to End Blackouts: Freight

  
  Indian Power Sector — Authority: 129
  India, reliant on coal for more than half its electricity, is struggling to ease blackouts as delays in adding railways hinder fuel supplies and discourage investors from building $36 billion of power plants.Many Indian mines are operating at one-third of capacity as the rail system can’t move [...]
  1 day ago

• Xanadu to sell its Mongolian thermal coal assets

  
  Mongolia Business and Mongolian Daily Business News — Authority: 412
  Mongolia-focused Xanadu Mines says it seeks to partially sell or completely divest its thermal coal assets in the Asian nation as it simplifies itself into a copper and gold play there. Funds raised from the thermal coal sale will fund its copper and gold projects and also finance its coking coal joint ventures with ...
  1 day ago

• Green Scene: Dam your ash

  
  Return to Appalachia — Authority: 136
  Green Scene: Dam your ash: sleepyholler:A coalition of local and national environmental groups announced plans Jan. 19 to sue the U.S. Environmental... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
  2 days ago

• Not in favour of ramping up coal imports: NTPC

  
  Indian Power Sector — Authority: 129
  India’s largest power generation company NTPC today said it is not in favour of ramping up its coal imports as this would escalate the cost of electricity.“…What happens is that mixing of imported coal increases the price of power. Unless there is a correction down the line in the network, it does [...]
  2 days ago

• India State Selects Jindal Steel, Adhunik Group Firm For Coal Blocks – Officials

  
  Indian Power Sector — Authority: 129
  Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. (532286.BY) and a unit of Adhunik Metaliks Ltd. (532727.BY) are among three companies shortlisted by the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand to develop three coal blocks at a total investment of INR11.75 billion ($237 million).The three companies are to produce 3.6 million [...]
  2 days ago

• West Bengal takes steps to revive MAMC

  
  Thaindian News — Authority: 506
  Kolkata, Jan 31 (IANS) The West Bengal government has urged Bharat Earth Movers Ltd, Damodar Valley Corp and Coal India to sign a shareholders agreement to revive the Mining and Allied Machinery Corp (MAMC) plant in Durgapur, shut down for more than two decades.Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee Tuesday said the ...
  3 days ago

• Matagorda smog

  
  Off the Kuff — Authority: 124
  I feel like there are some pieces missing in this discussion . Matagorda County, 1920s map from the General Land Office The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking to add Matagorda County to the list of Texas’ smog violators because Gulf breezes that blow through the area send air pollution toward the ...
  3 days ago

• BHEL looks at South African market for CFBC boilers

  
  Thaindian News — Authority: 506
  Chennai, Jan 31 (IANS) Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) is looking at South Africa for marketing its circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) boilers, needed for power and industrial applications.And the power equipment maker is open to joint ventures there for this purpose.“South African coal is similar to what ...
  3 days ago

• Fresh plans sought for no-go area projects

  
  Indian Power Sector — Authority: 129
  Taking note of a formal end to the controversial ‘no-go’ classification of coal mining projects, the coal ministry has asked states to give revised proposals to the environment ministry for projects stuck in no-go areas. This would help redeem investment amounting to Rs 40,000 crore in key [...]
  3 days ago

• Government to review new coal price mechanism after March: Sriprakash Jaiswal

  
  Indian Power Sector — Authority: 129
  India’s new coal price mechanism will be reviewed after March and current prices calculated under the system will hold until then, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said on Tuesday.He also said the assessment of the new mechanism will be done after assessing Jan-Mar quarter revenues of state-run [...]
  3 days ago

• Romney and Gingrich Scrap Amid Shifting Fortunes

  
  heave-ho.org — Authority: 449
  Newt Gingrich sought to rally his grass-roots coalition against the heavy campaign machinery of a resurgent Mitt Romney.
  4 days ago

• ensuring cost-efficient & environmentally friendly production of hot metal

  
  Siemens India Blog — Authority: 113
  19% is it true? well, many of us may not be aware of the fact that the iron and steel industry accounts for about 19% of final energy use and about a quarter of direct CO2 emissions from the industry sector. the CO2 relevance is high due to a large share of coal in the energy mix. however, with Siemens Corex ...
  4 days ago

• Green energy retreat in Spain

  
  The Olive Press — Authority: 476
  Spains use of coal as an energy source almost doubled last year
  4 days ago

• Energy and Natural Resources Radar (January 30, 2012)

  
  GreenLightAdvisor Views — Authority: 127
  Energy and Natural Resources Market Radar (January 30, 2012) Strengths Industrial metals rallied strongly this week bolstered by positive economic data in the U.S., dovish language from the Federal Reserve and likely short-covering. Copper finished up almost 4 percent at $3.89 per pound, making this the ...
  4 days ago

• Coal piece from Titanic auctioned

  
  Thaindian News — Authority: 506
  London, Jan 29 (IANS) A tiny piece of coal salvaged from the Titanic has sold at an auction for 50 pounds.2012 is the centenary of the ship’s sinking.A gold stud, believed to have been worn by a passenger, is being offered for 8,000 pounds on internet auction site eBay, the Daily Express reported.Other [...]
  5 days ago

• MoEF panel recommends NTPC’s Tallaipalli project for green nod

  
  Indian Power Sector — Authority: 129
  A Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) panel has recommended clearance for the 18-MTPA Talaipalli coal-mine project of NTPC in the Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh.The project had come up for discussion for grant of environmental clearance in the meeting of Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) [...]
  5 days ago

• Sierra Club sues over coal permits

  
  Off the Kuff — Authority: 124
  Remember how four coal plants were granted permits to pollute more in December? You probably don’t, because it basically happened under cover of darkness. The Sierra Club found out about it and has filed a lawsuit to call a halt to it. Martin Lake coal plant The environmental group is appealing permit ...
  6 days ago

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