Coal in your stocking? You should be so lucky!

 

A conversation with my friend Stef this morning prompted me to think about coal again.  In the context of discussing benefits for the 9/11 responders, she brought up the unsung heroes who mine coal every day - in difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances - so that we can sit at our computers in nice warm houses, go to the frig for a cold drink, and turn on the lights to keep the dreary grays at bay. 

Here are some of the facts people should know as we take a moment to appreciate the value of both our coal resources and the energy output of hundreds of thousands of American workers that makes possible that outlet on the wall behind you. At this time of year when the natural world is so cold, wet and dark - yet we are able live in comfort - it seems only right to acknowledge that the coal mining industry produces abundant, affordable domestic energy, generates electricity and creates jobs and wealth for America.  That's a good thing. 

 

Coal is truly “America's fuel.” The United States has more recoverable coal than any other nation; the 272 billion tons of coal reserves in the United States represent one-quarter of the world's total estimated coal supply.

There is more energy potential in America's coal than in all the oil of the Middle East.

In fact, America's recoverable coal has the energy content equivalent of a trillion barrels of oil, a figure roughly comparable to all the world's known oil reserves. At current rates of consumption, U.S. coal reserves will last at least another 200 years.

 

 
 

For working families, less money spent on electricity bills means more money for other household necessities.  That’s why low-cost coal is so important. One of the primary advantages of using coal is its low cost – and fuel price is a major component in the cost of electricity.

For example, on a national basis, COAL is around 1/3 the cost of natural gas – the second most widely used fuel to make electricity.

Also, the cost of generating electricity from COAL is 1/3 to 1/5 the cost of producing electricity from natural gas.

 

 

Full Disclosure: The Husband chose to honor West Virginia coal miners with this photography project.  Watch the video; it'll make you proud. And hopefully, grateful as well. As we should be.

 

 

 

Kudos and gratitude to our friend Mike Riley for the videography.

Comments

[Tom Glennon]

I have noted in the past that China is building coal fired electric plants at the rate of one per week. Now we hear that they are experiencing local electric shortages because they cannot mine the coal needed for these plants fast enough. Hardly a week goes by that China does not have some mining accident, because of their lack of safety rules. Funny how the Obama administration never mentions any of this. We have enormous supplies of coal, and a pretty good safety system in place, yet new coal plants are routinely prohibited. I wonder where we are going to get the electricity to recharge those 15 million electric cars Obama wants by 2015?