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ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Energy Sources:

Windpower
Biomass
Coal
Geothermal
Hydropower
Nuclear
Solar
Cold Fusion
Super Conductivity
Tidal

COAL

Things To Know:  If Saudi Arabia's oil was compared to the energy potential of our known coal reserves, their energy potential would be but a fraction compared to ours.  We currently have a conservatively estimated 250-year lifespan of coal reserves.  Coal accounts for about 50% of our electricity supply and constitutes 95% of the known energy reserves of the USA.  Negative issues include the coal burning efficiencies that in most cases hover at a dismal 30%, and the emissions are particularly bad.  Technical solutions have been and continue to be discovered that mitigate these problems.  Combustion of coal is a mainstay means for the U.S. to generate electricity; however, a new technology involving gasification has the potential to end this long reign of power.  

Coal Gasification:  There are currently only a few facilities in the entire country, and most are geared for only small amounts of electricity production.  Larger 500 MW facilities are practically non-existent at this time.  With anti-pollution technology, a chance to reach 50% efficiencies and simultaneous production of liquid fuels and other substances, it won't be long before these new coal plants are the norm.  More information can be found on all aspects of coal from the following web sites, starting with a firm that actually manufactures small gasification plants: http://www.wakefield-assoc.com/, http://www.ultracleanfuels.com/,  http://www.fe.doe.gov/programs/powersystems/gasification/, http://www.rentechinc.com/,   http://www.dakotagas.com/, http://www.netl.doe.gov/coal/, http://www.netl.doe.gov/coal/gasification/pubs/pdf/BMassGasFinal.pdf

 Please advise the 2020 Institute if you feel we've left out any must see statistics or new technologies in this area or if you feel we've inadvertently misrepresented anything on this page.

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Situation Report | Energy Solutions