Activity 3.2.2.2 - Clean Coal? Myth or Reality

Clean Coal? Myth or Reality

The term “clean coal,” is used to refer to technologies that were designed to reduce emission of pollutants associated with burning coal. The process removes some of the sulfur and other contaminants that can affect the earth’s environment. But does the process really confirm that the coal is being cleaned through this process and how it will reduce the effects not only on our environment but people’s health as well. By referencing“What ‘Clean Coal’ Is - and Isn't” by Brad Plummer, it allows us to view how the term “clean coal” is popularized and what it truly means to our society and how technology is costly and complex to achieve these goals. The article also explains how it complicates whether it can be seen as myth or reality. Plummer describes clean coal as, “While the term is deliberately vague, it is often understood to mean coal plants that capture the carbon dioxide emitted from smokestacks and bury it underground as a way of limiting global warming” (Plummer 1). The article produces an insight on the process of “clean coal” and how it is also complex through variations of technology that will be able to furthermore gain success for our future. The sources that I will be providing in my article will include factual evidence on how “clean coal” can be a positive outcome for the industrial industry or how it is simply not possible for coal to be clean for our economical use around the world.

I was able to identify the possible outcomes on how “clean coal” can be a crucial positivity for American jobs, energy security, and national supply chains. According to an article by Steven Weinberg called, “Department of Energy,” he identifies the benefits of coal and how to make it cleaner through a process of coal plants. Weinberg states, “Coal-fired electricity generation is cleaner than ever. NETL’s research shows that a new coal plant with pollution controls reduces nitrogen oxides by 83 percent, sulfur dioxide by 98 percent, and particulate matter by 99.8 percent compared to plants without controls” (Weinberg 1). Coal plants make it flexible, innovative, resilient, and transformative for our environment. The goal is that one day those plants will become emissions-free. To be able to get to that point, there needs to be reduced progression of carbon capture costs by about 50% and engaged leading work for technology to get us there. Overall the source provided gave us a very descriptive amount of information to believe with the right technology and the informative amount of resources will have us to believe that there is “clean coal” out there in their world and in fact it has become a reality.

I was able to identify another article, “Clean Coal: Fact or Fiction” by Stephanie Joyce explaining how “clean coal” does not have a great tracking record of success. Joyce states, “Getting to a place where it is cost-effective and deployable on a large-scale appears to be a way off. But it’s probably too early to label it a false prophecy” (Joyce 1). Not only should we be concerned about environmental issues, there is also a concern with how cost effective producing “clean coal'' is and how much more in debt it can produce for our country. So far, “clean coal” technology has been deployed at a wide scale in the United States. Many “clean coal” industries and products end up in failure due to ongoing debates on whether several common deployments of technology actually reduce overall emissions. Which leads our country in debt for something that does not benefit what it actually is supposed to be used for. By prioritizing the costly income we use for the technology to produce “clean coal” it can be more beneficial for our future to guide that money towards an act that strengthens the environment in a beneficial way. 

The resources I provided for you let me prove both sides of how “clean coal” is produced and what the beneficial and non-beneficial outcomes can be for our country's future. I hope this broadened your perspective on how it is very efficient to give back to our community in a positive and friendly environmental way. There are always two sides to every story and in this case we are in a situation where there will always be a serviceable and unserviceable act that can cause a noble outcome for our economy.

Work Cited:

Grossman, David. “Everything You Need to Know about Clean Coal.” Popular Mechanics, Popular Mechanics, 2 Nov. 2021, https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/news/a27886/how-does-clean-coal-work/.

Joyce, Stephanie. “Clean Coal: Fact or Fiction?” Inside Energy, IE Inside Energy, 7 Dec. 2016, http://insideenergy.org/2016/10/11/clean-coal-fact-or-fiction/

Plumer, Brad. “What 'Clean Coal' Is - and Isn't.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Aug. 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/23/climate/what-clean-coal-is-and-isnt.html

Weinberg, Steven. “Clean Coal Is Crucial for American Jobs, Energy Security, and National Supply Chains.” Energy.gov, U.S. Department of Energy, 6 June 2020, https://www.energy.gov/articles/clean-coal-crucial-american-jobs-energy-security-and-national-supply-chains