Do Now Why is Massachusetts moving from coal to natural gas? What advantages/disadvantages exist with this conversion? Look at the graph on page 2, explain the patterns you notice.

BRINGING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN CHAPTER 19 COAL In the rubble, the true costs of coal

COAL: What is it good for? You can’t eat it, but you can burn it to make energy.

What is Energy? From the scientific perspective, energy is the “capacity to do work.” From the perspective of modern society, energy is our lifeblood.

How do we generate electricity from coal?

Do Now What are the main reasons for Peabody Energy declaring bankruptcy? What are India and China doing differently that no one predicted? What is “clean coal” and why isn’t it successful? What does the bankruptcy of Peabody Energy signify?

Videos Black Thunder Mine – Wyoming (Surface) Mountain Top Removal – Appalachia

Coal Explain how humans have used fossil fuels to bypass earth’s natural cycles. How is coal formed? What is it made of? From extraction, to transport, to combustion, what are all of the pollution concerns with the coal industry?

Videos How coal is formed – Fossil Fuel How its made – Coal

Energy: Where does it come from? Except for geothermal and nuclear energy, all of our energy comes from the sun.

Energy: Where we get it Energy from the sun includes wind, movement of water, and photosynthesis —turning light & CO 2 into carbon-based materials.

Energy: Fossil Fuels Carbon-based materials, deposited over hundreds of millions of years, produce fossil fuels: coal, natural gas, and petroleum.

Our Energy System: Human triumph over energy Humans first harnessed energy as fire, then used the forces of water and wind. A few thousand years ago, humans began using a fossil fuel—coal.

Our Energy System: Human triumph over energy Coal provided a good source of concentrated, portable energy.

Coal and Society: The importance of coal Coal has fueled three Industrial Revolutions: -first in Great Britain -then in the United States -now in China

Coal and Society: The advantages of coal Coal is inexpensive, based on energy produced per pound. Coal is readily available around the world.

Drawbacks of Coal Use List all of the negative externalities of coal use. (be specific) Predict what the future of coal looks like. Will we use the 120 year supply? Will renewables overtake coal use? What will influence this changeover?

Negative externality: Costs of an economic activity not borne by the beneficiary of the activity, but instead by parties with no choice or economic benefit.

Human health risks are associated with all of the negative externalities of coal.

Coal’s negative externalities: Due to burning coal Burning coal produces: -CO 2 and other gases -acid rain -mercury -radioactive materials -soot -fly ash

Coal’s negative externalities: Due to subsurface mining Subsurface coal mining produces -methane -acid mine drainage -human health hazards -ground & surface water pollution

Coal’s negative externalities: Due to surface mining Surface coal mining produces -irreversible ecosystem damage -irreversible esthetic damage -irreversible cultural damage -ground & surface water pollution

Harvard researchers estimate including the external costs of coal for mining, shipping, burning, and waste production would double the price of electricity.

External costs are generally paid by individuals or governments (with tax dollars).

Where coal is found—28% in North America

Coal helped create civilizations with reliable energy for industry and for modern conveniences at the flip of a switch.

Coal and our Energy System: What we do with coal 45% of U.S. electricity is produced by burning coal

Our Energy Addiction: Energy’s stranglehold on humans The Industrial Revolutions and energy policy since have modern societies completely dependent on fossil fuels—on coal in particular.

How to get electricity from coal—make steam!

China uses even more coal, consuming half the annual world coal production— 3 times more than the U.S.

Coal and our Energy System: How much coal do we use? The U.S. burns roughly 1 billion tons of coal each year. This equals 6000 pounds of coal for each person in the U.S.

Coal and our Energy System: The future of coal We will have used all of the coal on earth in about the next 120 years— 1-millionth of the time to make it!

Coal and the Environment: Why coal became an issue Satisfying the energy wants of a world population that was 1 billion when the industrial revolutions began, and below 2 billon when the light bulb was invented, has magnified the problems with coal.

Coal and the Environment: Coal is cheap—at great cost: a catch-22 The price per ton of coal is low, because it does not include external costs— coal’s negative externalities.

Coal and the Environment: Coal’s negative externalities are of 2 types Problems because we burn coal Problems when we mine coal, both on the surface and subsurface

Mimicking the natural world can provide solutions. Most living organisms get their energy from the sun —directly or indirectly.

Remediation and Solutions: How you can make a difference Conserve energy at home, school, & work. Buy energy-efficient appliances and devices. Become a part of the public conversation. —save a kiloWatt-hour, save a pound of coal—

Remediation and Solutions: Become part of the public conversation Learn whether your state has a Renewable Energy Standard For example, New York, Colorado, & California all have mandates that 30% of their electricity come from renewable sources by 2020 or before.

Human Triumph over Energy Problems: Inform yourself on topics Pro and Con Prolonging coal usage: -Clean Coal technology -Carbon sequestration technology -Lax or no reclamation regulations -Lax or no emission regulations Reducing coal usage: -More renewable energy sources -Community “Smart Grids” -Mining reclamation requirements -Community reclamation requirements -Emission requirements