coal Archives – The Green Optimistic

Study: Coal kills more Americans than it Employs

Guest Contributor — Sun, 24 Feb 2019 19:05:59 +0000

A new study finds that the coal industry kills more Americans than it employs. Joshua Pearce led the study and is the Richard Witte Endowed Professor of Materials Science & Engineering as well as a professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Michigan Tech. He first became interested in the idea of a “corporate death […]

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Renewables Reduced California And UK Carbon Emissions

Arsenij Percov — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 19:59:42 +0000

California has set a goal to reduce its emissions to the 1990 level by 2020. However, according to its latest report from 2016, it has already achieved it. It has followed a declining trend since 2007. The peak of carbon emissions was noticed in 2001 (14.0 metric tons per person). Since then it has been […]

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Eco-Friendly Concrete Created from Recycled Fly Flash, a Coal Byproduct

Arsenij Percov — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 20:31:15 +0000

Wahington State University researchers have developed an alternative to traditional concrete using coal fly flash. This provides a solution for two major problems in the United States. The first one is the environmental impact of concrete production. Nowadays, concrete is made by combining cement with sand and gravel. Cement requires high temperatures to be produced. […]

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Trump Signs Order That Loosens Regulations on the Coal Industry

Ece Polat — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 06:43:26 +0000

This Tuesday, the U.S. president Donal Trump signed an order that will take back any regulation about climate change that was implemented by the Obama administration. This will support the coal industry legally. Although Trump signed this “Energy Independence” executive order, many people started to speak and act against the action. 23 states, local governments, […]

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Beijing Mayor’s Bold Commitment to Limit Coal Use

Nicholas Say — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 20:12:25 +0000

In 2013 Beijing burned 22 million tons of coal. Cai Qi is the mayor of Beijing and he has had enough, in a recent announcement he has upped the ante and stated that in 2017 the total amount of coal burned in Beijing will be 7 million tons. This is a Mayor […]

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Japan’s Emissions Slightly Rise, But Not From Nuclear Shutdown

Courtney Lepping — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 08:42:06 +0000

The earthquake that terrorized Japan in 2011 led to the shutdown of nuclear energy. There was an increase in CO2 emissions by 11.8 percent from 2010 to 2014. Could the reported increase be caused by the shutdown after the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant disaster? Sources claim the rise in emissions wasn’t much of a rise at […]

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Japan Prepares New Non-nuclear Energy Plan

Courtney Lepping — Sat, 28 May 2016 09:21:17 +0000

Japan is going to release an energy plan next year that shifts away from nuclear power but may lead to a greater dependence on coal-fired power plants. The proposed change was predictable. Japanese individuals oppose nuclear power because of the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Attempts by the pro-nuclear industry ministry to provide the country with more […]

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Wind Turbines Generate More Power Than Coal in UK

Courtney Lepping — Wed, 18 May 2016 20:10:48 +0000

Wind energy statistics from the UK demonstrated a recent milestone in history, as wind was shown to generate more electricity than coal. In April, 2,290 gigawatt hours (GWh) were produced from wind compared to 1,755 GWh produced from coal. According to the UK, there was a drop in the amount of electricity produced from coal […]

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Mountaintop Removal Mining Down 62%

Annika Tostengard — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 06:39:52 +0000

A report released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration reveals that the United States’ coal production is slowing down. One of the most environmentally devastating types of mining, mountaintop removal, has declined by an amazing 62%. The report suggests that a lower demand for coal as a reason, citing cheap natural gas and renewables as […]

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EPA Announces Emissions Regulations for Power Plants

Benji Jerew — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 21:02:58 +0000

The carbon footprint of the United States is particularly heavy, but recent emissions regulations announced by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) should help to reduce it. The EPA has been working, for decades really, on reducing fuel consumption and its associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. While this has probably been most notable in the transportation […]

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China’s Power Mix Will Be Dominated by Coal for Decades

Benji Jerew — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 16:24:23 +0000

China’s economic growth is very much at odds with her environmental problems. As the economy grows, so does need for power, two-thirds of which is generated by coal. Looking at the air in China’s great cities, such as Shanghai or Beijing, it’s quite obvious that a dark cloud hangs over the residents. Quite literally, in […]

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Poland Puts Up Electric Barriers to Keep Renewable Energy Out

Danny Harper — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:35:10 +0000

For the host country of international climate talks, it’s surprising to see Poland going to such great lengths to protect its coal industry, while putting renewable energy on the backburner. Bad COP 19 host issues aside, a major point of contention amongst many in the international community right now are the changes Poland is making […]

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European Commission Stops Subsidies For Renewables, Gives Green Light to Coal And Gas

Mila Luleva — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 20:32:05 +0000

Earlier this week, The European Commission decided against governmental subsidies for renewable energy projects, by issuing new guidelines in support of back-up energy generating facilities, such as coal- and gas-powered plants. The EU officials claim that this is the only way to ensure secure and affordable electricity for all citizens. The decision was made after France […]

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China’s Plans to Build Environmentally-Damaging Coal-Powered Natural Gas Plants

Adele Hall — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 04:02:33 +0000

China is currently in the process of planning synthetic natural gas plants, which are powered by coal. Though this could be good for China’s energy security, the results could be environmentally devastating. A new study by Researchers from Duke University have determined this process would produce seven times the greenhouse gas emissions, consume 100 times […]

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China Tackling Air Pollution, But Faces Big Challenges

Benji Jerew — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 19:20:18 +0000

China’s fast economic growth has been backed up by fast and dirty coal power plants to meet new energy requirements of the rapidly expanding industrial and commercial sectors. The resulting air pollution has clouded the skies over many Chinese cities. Aside from the greenhouse gas emissions that we already know are contributing to climate change, […]

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How Coal Pollution Makes Our Kids Sick (video)

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 29 May 2013 18:43:55 +0000

Scraping the mountaintops for coal is the worst practice the environment has ever had to face. Despite all the troubles that mining for coal does to humanity and the environment, the US relies heavily on the black matter to power itself and sustain this unsustainable way of living. The Sierra Club has put up on […]

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Copenhagen Accord, Carbon Dioxide Emissions Reduction, in Trouble in US

Benji Jerew — Wed, 29 May 2013 17:05:36 +0000

When it comes to carbon dioxide emissions, coal-burning plants are pretty much the dirtiest in existence. Even outfitted with modern emissions-reduction measures, coal plants still emit a heinous amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Many expected the recent boom in US natural gas production [in spite of its own special problems] to eclipse coal […]

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Low-Carbon Hybrid Systems Key to China’s Future Energy Development

Mila Luleva — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:35:56 +0000

In order to optimize any future energy development, China should integrate nuclear or renewable energy so that they bring down to a minimum the use of high-carbon energy resources. A recent study published in the first issue for the year of the journal Scientic Sinica Chemica, presents a low-carbon hybrid energy system, which provides a […]

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Ontario Successfully Eliminates Coal Power

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 07:55:08 +0000

In an unprecedented move, the provincial government of Canada’s Ontario province will burn zero coal by the conclusion of 2013. This is the first time any government in North America has decommissioned an entire coal fleet and serves as a reminder that ending coal use is possible and there are great benefits to doing so. […]

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The Art of Big Style Pollution: 4,500-Horsepower Smoky Diesel "Freightliner" Truck Does 228 MPH

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:17:19 +0000

Some people may have gotten used to reading nice green inventions on our cleantech blog. This time, though, I’ll show anyone interested in pollution what some idle minds can invent in this direction. Meet the world’s first Freightliner powered by a 16-cylinder, 28.8 L diesel engine capable of no less than 4,500 horsepower! Jeremy Clarkson […]

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Reducing Coal CO2 Emissions with Chilled-Ammonia Technology

Cristi — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:32:52 +0000

The coal based power plant located in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin in Kenosha County called Pleasant Prairie Power Plant has generated approximately 1,226 MW of electricity in 2006, being one of the largest generating stations in Wisconsin.

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Solar Cells Now Cheaper Than Coal!

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:11:47 +0000

Nanosolar has created a thin film solar battery, much more efficient than anything existing on the market nowadays. Its thin film technology transfers the sun light in a very efficient way. The Nanosolar power plant will begin producing energy in 2008 and will cover 430 megawatts/year. That’s more than all the capacity of the currently […]

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