The Costs of Coal
Across the fuel cycle: from mine to smokestack
As we confront global warming and make choices about how to meet energy needs for the next generation, it is critical to tap the potential of efficiency and clean, renewable energy sources and reconsider the heedless rush to build new pulverized coal power plants. Considering all the costs of coal along its entire fuel-cycle makes the case for renewable energy and efficiency even stronger.
Each one of approximately 150 proposed coal plants would impose high costs not only on the health of our communities and environment, but will also make it even more difficult to address global warming. Additionally, there is a high likelihood that because of the choices utilities make today, coal generated electricity may cost customers more in the future than utilities claim.
Coal-generated electricity's effect on global warming:
According to EPA data, annual carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants are greater than the emissions from all cars, trucks, planes, trains, and other forms of transportation combined.
Within the electricity sector, according to statistics from the Energy Information Administration, coal-fired power plants generate half of the country's electricity...
. . . but, coal plants emit more than 80%, four out of every five tons, of heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions produced by all sources of electricity. Of all electricity sources, coal-fired power plants are the biggest threat to the stability of our climate, and in turn, to our children's future.
[The charts displayed above are available for download in Powerpoint (.ppt) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) formats.]
UCS' Clean Energy and Climate programs are working to reduce global warming pollution by opposing pulverized coal plants.
Learn more about:
Why electricity from coal will cost you more than utilities claim
- Learn about how carbon risk will likely increase the costs of coal in a carbon constrained economy.
The environmental and public health impacts of coal-generated electricity
Overview
Cleaner alternatives to coal generated electricity
Clean Energy Policy Supports Economic Development and Consumer Savings
Technology
What you can do
- Buy "green power" for your home or office. Learn about the different green energy options with UCS' guide to buying green power and find what's available in your area with the Department of Energy's Green Power Network state-by-state map.
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C. To subscribe or visit go to: http://www.ucsusa.org