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What are the advantages and disadvantages of using coal to generate electricity?
Answer:
Coal is a fossil fuel like oil and gas. Fossil fuels are all formed out of organic matter deposited, decomposed and compressed, storing all the carbon involved under the earth's surface for millions of years.
Some of the advantages of coal are -
However, the important issue as of now is whether there are more advantages than disadvantages of fossil fuels like coal!
Some disadvantages of coal are that -
Some people have said that coal power is good, because coal power is reliable and affordable. It may be reliable and affordable, but in the future the damage that coal power would cause, would be much more expressive.
Coal is cheap and abundant, with an estimate of over 200 years supply of economic coal deposits still accessible, which is why we are still using so much of it, despite the high levels of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions it produces.
Some of the advantages of coal are -
- Easily combustible, and produces high energy upon combustion helping in locomotion and in the generation of electricity and various other forms of energy; [Ed. Note: actually, in terms of J/kg of energy, coal is one of the lowest energy density common fuels - about 50% more than wood, but half that of natural gas or oil]
- Widely and easily distributed all over the world; [Ed Note: coal is simple and easy to ship, but major deposits are heavily concentrated in relatively few locations]
- Good availability - relatively large existing reserves
- Relatively inexpensive - extraction is rather straightforward, and shipping/handling is much simpler than other types of fossil fuels
- While mining can be moderately dangerous, after extraction, coal is much safer to ship and handle (provided a few precautions are taken) than other fossil fuels, and requires little or no special handling.
- A coal-fueled power station can be built almost anywhere, so long as you can get large quantities of fuel to it. Most coal fired power stations have dedicated rail links to supply the coal.
However, the important issue as of now is whether there are more advantages than disadvantages of fossil fuels like coal!
Some disadvantages of coal are that -
- it is Nonrenewable and fast depleting;
- high coal transportation costs, especially for countries with no coal resources and hence will require special harbors for coal import and storage.
- Coal storage cost is high especially if required to have enough stock for few years to assure power production availability.
- Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, that had been stored in the earth for millions of years, contributing to global warming. Coal in particular is much "dirtier" than other forms of fossil fuels and releases considerably more CO2, NO, SO2 and other gaseous byproducts than oil or natural gas
- It leaves behind harmful byproducts upon combustion, thereby causing a lot of pollution - both particulate matter (as part of the exhaust), and residual ash from the burned coal.
- Mining of coal leads to irreversible damage to the adjoining environment;
- Mining and burning of coal pollutes the environment, causes acid rain and ruins all living creature's lungs.
- It cannot be recycled.
- Prices for all fossil fuels are rising, especially if the real cost of their carbon is included.
- An average of 170 pounds of mercury is made by one coal plant every year. When 1/70 of a teaspoon of mercury is put in to a 50-acre lake it can make the fish unsafe to eat.
- Coal power puts the lives of the people who dig the coal in danger, and it gives them poor lung quality.
- A coal plant generates about 3,700,000 tons of carbon dioxide every year; this is one of the main causes of global warming.
- A single coal plant creates 10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain that damages forests, lakes, and buildings.
- When people dig for coal, they cut down many trees.
- A coal plant also creates 720 tons of carbon monoxide; which causes headaches and place additional stress on people with heart disease.
- A 500-megawatt coal- fired plant draws about 2.2 billion gallons of water from nearby bodies of water. This is enough water to support approximately 250,000 people.
Some people have said that coal power is good, because coal power is reliable and affordable. It may be reliable and affordable, but in the future the damage that coal power would cause, would be much more expressive.
Coal is cheap and abundant, with an estimate of over 200 years supply of economic coal deposits still accessible, which is why we are still using so much of it, despite the high levels of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions it produces.
First answer by ColYoung.
Last edit by Elosery.
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