Lester Brown: Time's Up, Coal
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02.16.08
Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute (and a frequent contributor to this site), launched a shot across the bow of big coal - claiming that the dramatic shift in public opinion away from coal-fired power plants signaled "the beginning of the end of the coal industry." Coal-to-liquid technology, which we've taken a dim view of in the past, and carbon sequestration are mere feints, he asserted, and much too carbon-intensive.
The proper strategy for supplying our energy needs - whilst mitigating our global warming impact - would be to invest in energy efficiency solutions and alternative sources such as wind and solar energy. What to do with the estimated 200 years' worth of coal still in the ground? Leave it there, Brown said. Predictably, his latest call to arms has aroused the ire of the coal industry, which accused him of "grossly" exaggerating opposition to coal and of being on a "jihad."
Brown fired back by pointing to the large number of coal plant projects that were either abandoned or contested in 2007 - more than 50 - and to recent polls suggesting a large majority of the public had turned against coal as its preferred source of electricity. The "kiss of death for the industry," he said, was the announcement made by several large banks, including Citigroup and Morgan Stanley, that future lending for the plants would be "contingent" on their demonstrating that they would be "economically viable under future federal rules on emissions."
Many will likely counter Brown's claims by pointing to the resurgence of coal in countries like China and India, whose energy consumption is predicted to continually rise over the coming years. That, of course, presents a huge challenge to the world. Yet, as Brown lays out in his excellent book, Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization (which we heartily recommend), many of the solutions, due in great part to the latest innovations in solar cell and wind technology, already exist - and their potential applications in China and other developing countries are enormous.
The economic appeal of clean energy is already clear: As Jesse recently noted, several large institutional investors pledged to invest another $10 billion in emissions-reducing technologies over the next 2 years. This follows a surge in green investment by some of Silicon Valley's most powerful VC firms, led by the likes of Vinod Khosla, John Doerr and Al Gore. The solutions are there: we just to commit to them.
Image courtesy of the NIH Record
See also: ::Coal-Based Abstinence While 'Hooking Up' With Renewables: New Wall Street Paradigm Emerging, ::More than 50 Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plants are Now on the Back Burner
"Jihad?" seriously, how low can you go?
While I think Brown's antipathy to coal is completely understandable I don't understand how we're supposed to do without it. Something needs to produce baseline power. Wind, solar and low impact hydro can't do that without some sort of massive power storage technology. Hydrogen-based power storage requires a huge energy overhead that makes the whole renewables+hydrogen idea insanely costly with current technology.
There is one technology that would work, but it is scrupulously avoided by Brown and many others. Nuclear power is really the only option we've got if we want to begin moving away from coal now, not decades down the line.
I second the comment about 'Jihad'. It's only a holy war if the coal companies think they are holy.
Coal Smoal! Nuclear Nonclear! Sustainable Attainable!!!
Thank you Lester Brown for standing up to nonsustainables that create a toxic future for our future fathers and our demise.
Not mentioned are biofuels, this fastest growing plant is responsible for the fossil fuels that are corrupting the planet. Algae, took millions of years to transform into fossil fuels. However, today, that same algae can replicate itself 7 or more times a day reusing ancient carbon to make biofuel, turning that fuel into electricity, and again reusing the same carbon to make more electricity. Simple!!! At more than 30,000 gallons per acre and no more than 15,000 square miles of arid, non-productive land, we can meet 100% of the energy needs of this country and sustain these needs forever. No more fossil fuels. No wars! No pollution. Clean clean air. See, www.valcent.net and www.solazyme.com. Of course, photovoltaics, wind, hydro, geothermal and wave power, all continue to have their place as the worlds best insurance policy for quality of life and a wonderful perpetual future.
Sorry, I omitted the most important word, "ALGAE" biofuels.
Coal Smoal! Nuclear Nonclear! Sustainable Attainable!!!
Thank you Lester Brown for standing up to nonsustainables that create a toxic future for our future fathers and our demise.
Not mentioned are biofuels, this fastest growing plant is responsible for the fossil fuels that are corrupting the planet. Algae, took millions of years to transform into fossil fuels. However, today, that same algae can replicate itself 7 or more times a day reusing ancient carbon to make biofuel, turning that fuel into electricity, and again reusing the same carbon to make more electricity. Simple!!! At more than 30,000 gallons per acre and no more than 15,000 square miles of arid, non-productive land, we can meet 100% of the energy needs of this country and sustain these needs forever. No more fossil fuels. No wars! No pollution. Clean clean air. See, www.valcent.net and www.solazyme.com. Of course, photovoltaics, wind, hydro, geothermal and wave power, all continue to have their place as the worlds best insurance policy for quality of life and a wonderful perpetual future.
Coal
Smoal! Nuclear Nonclear! Sustainable Attainable!!!
Thank you Lester Brown for standing up to nonsustainables that create a
toxic future for our future fathers and our demise.
Not mentioned are biofuels, this fastest growing plant is responsible
for the fossil fuels that are corrupting the planet. Algae, took
millions of years to transform into fossil fuels. However, today, that
same algae can replicate itself 7 or more times a day reusing ancient
carbon to make biofuel, turning that fuel into electricity, and again
reusing the same carbon to make more electricity. Simple!!! At more
than 30,000 gallons per acre and no more than 15,000 square miles of
arid, non-productive land, we can meet 100% of the energy needs of this
country and sustain these needs forever. No more fossil fuels. No wars!
No pollution. Clean clean air. See, www.valcent.net and
www.solazyme.com. Of course, photovoltaics, wind, hydro, geothermal and
wave power, all continue to have their place as the worlds best
insurance policy for quality of life and a wonderful perpetual future.
coal is not the only baseloal solution as otherdoug implies.
Nuclear can produce tromendous amounts of baseoad power, however, the high cost of reactors severely limits its growth potential.
Solar thermal plants are baseload power plants scince they store thermal energy in the form of molten salt.
Gas turbine power plants can also serve as baseload plants, and to make the fuel less carbon- intensive, a cocktail mixture of ladfill gas and natural gas can be used. This will be an easy energy solution for poorer countries trying to grow sustainably.
If there is anything on this planet that is unneeded, it is coal and oil.