Demand for electricity drives demand for coal, which being "abundant, widely dispersed, easily mined, and not controlled by any OPEC-like cartel" is not going away anytime soon.

No great surprises here, although the stats are compelling. I was surprised that US wind power, while generating just a small fraction of the electricity fueled by coal, was as big relative to global coal as reported.

Comments

[Kim]

So how do I charge my electric car?

[Ed Cone]

The larger point of the article is that even if the US generates less of its electricity with coal, much of the rest of the world is going to keep right on using it.

[scharrison]

Well, it's not just a global issue (co2). There are local and regional (negative) impacts as well, not the least of which is an ever-dwindling list of edible fish due to methyl mercury contamination.

[Ged]

Have not heard much about tidal renewables lately. So much energy from the ocean's currents and waves not being collected. Environmental concerns there too I'm sure, but far far less than coal. Fusion holds the ultimate answer of course, saw a great documentary this past weekend on it. Getting closer.

[Billy Jones]

As usual, Billy was right again and Greensboro looses out.

Funny story, I actually came here looking for an older post to put this same comment on but found this one instead. Could it be Ed read my e-mail and posted this to give me an excuse? ;-)

[RBM]

The CO2 issue is a global one, for sure.

Getting off coal in the US is less about that issue than other issues, of varying regional impact, technically speaking.

The politico's are out to lunch on technical issues, but by virtue of their placement will actually determine what happens first and the technicalities will be handled as follow-on issues. In other words non-required mistakes will be made first; 'no one could have seen that coming'.