Coal, Pollution and Water

Study findings suggest that switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

While coal use causes warming through emission of heat-trapping carbon dioxide, it also releases comparatively large amounts of sulfates and other particles that, although detrimental to the environment, cool the planet by blocking incoming sunlight. —Tom Wigley. Methane is an especially potent greenhouse gas. degree Celsius).

Coal

Coal Climate Gas Global

WHO links 7 million premature deaths annually to air pollution; 12.5% of total global deaths

Green Car Congress

MARCH 25, 2014

The World Health Organization now estimates that in 2012 around 7 million people died—one in eight (12.5%) of total global deaths—as a result of air pollution exposure. million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths related to outdoor air pollution—5.9 million deaths in total.

Pollution

Pollution Global Ozone 2012

OSU team develops process to clean coal mine drainage and extract rare earth elements

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 4, 2023

Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed a novel process to clean coal mine drainage and extract rare-earth elements from it. Coal mine drainage (CMD) impairs tens of thousands of kilometers of U.S. CMD, coal mine drainage; TEP, trap-extract-precipitate. —Miranda et al. Miranda et al. —Jeff Bielicki.

Coal

Coal Cleaning Clean West Virginia

Design study for SA underground coal gasification plant underway

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 13, 2011

South Africa state-owned power utility Eskom reports that a design study is currently under way for an underground coal gasification (UCG) demonstration plant, which will include a 250,000 Nm 3 /h gas production plant and a 100 MW to 140 MW gas turbine plant. The coal seam lies between 280 m and 300 m deep. Mining Weekly.

Coal

Coal Design South Africa Gas-Electric

Poor air quality to remain a problem in India despite pollution control policies

Green Car Congress

APRIL 1, 2019

According to an independent study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), more than 674 million Indian citizens are likely to breathe air with high concentrations of PM 2.5 The program focuses on 102 polluted Indian cities and aims to reduce PM 2.5

Pollution

Pollution India Emissions 2015

EPA’s 2011 Toxics Release Inventory shows air pollutants continue to decline, releases of toxic chemicals up

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 16, 2013

Total toxic air releases in 2011 declined 8% from 2010, mostly because of decreases in hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions, even while total releases of toxic chemicals increased for the second year in a row, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report published today.

Pollution

Pollution 2011 EPA Waste

Report: Plastics industry will release more GHGs than coal plants in the US by 2030

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 24, 2021

Plastics are on track to contribute more greenhouse gas emissions than coal plants in the US by 2030, according to new report by Beyond Plastics, a nationwide project based at Bennington College in Vermont. These 35 cracker facilities release as much GHG as 35 coal-fired power plants. million tons of GHG each year.

Coal

Coal Industrial Industry Climate Change

DOE awards $7M to eight oxy-combustion coal technology projects; carbon capture, utilization and storage

Green Car Congress

JULY 26, 2012

The US Department of Energy (DOE) selected eight projects to advance the development of transformational oxy-combustion technologies capable of high-efficiency, low-cost carbon dioxide capture from coal-fired power plants. The Energy Department’s $7 million investment—leveraged with recipient cost-share to support approximately $9.4

Coal

Coal Carbon Gas-Electric Gas

EPA Proposes Transport Rule to Cut Pollution from Power Plants in 31 States and DC; New Approach for Pollution Reduction

Green Car Congress

JULY 6, 2010

The proposed Transport Rule sets in place a new approach that can and will be applied again as further pollution reductions are needed to help areas meet air quality health standards, EPA says. This approach allows limited interstate trading among power plants but assures that each state will meet its pollution control obligations.

Pollution

Pollution EPA Transportation DC

Alaska Native Corporation Proposes Underground Coal Gasification Project with Carbon Capture for Power Generation

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 11, 2009

Underground coal gasification uses paired wells in a coal seam: one an oxidant injection well, the other the syngas producer well. CIRI), an Alaska Native corporation, is proposing an underground coal gasification (UCG) project that would use the resulting syngas to fuel a new 100 MW combined cycle power plant. Source: CIRI.

Alaska

Alaska Coal Corporation Carbon

Study projects thermoelectric power in Europe and US vulnerable to climate change due to lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures

Green Car Congress

JUNE 3, 2012

nuclear and fossil-fueled generating units) in Europe and the United States are vulnerable to climate change due to the combined impacts of lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures. Compared to other water use sectors (e.g. A study published in Nature Climate Change suggests that thermoelectric power plants (i.e.,

Climate Change

Climate Change Water Climate Europe

Study suggests city center pollution doubles risk of calcium build-up in arteries

Green Car Congress

APRIL 29, 2012

City center residents who took part in a study were almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery calcification (CAC), which can lead to heart disease, than people who lived in less polluted urban and rural areas, according to research published in the May issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine. Jess Lambrechtsen.

Pollution

Pollution Building Denmark Clean

NRDC says Baard Energy agrees to switch from coal to natural gas for feedstock for proposed synthetic fuel plant in Ohio to avoid further permit challenges

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 15, 2011

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) issued a press release on Friday saying that Baard Energy had agreed to a settlement entailing their switching from coal as a feedstock for its planned coal/biomass-to-liquids Ohio River Clean Fuels plant ( earlier post ) to natural gas. Earlier post.). —Sierra Club’s Nachy Kanfer.

Ohio

Ohio Coal Sierra Gas

There’s Only One Kind Of “Just” Transition I Want To See

Creative Greenius

JULY 11, 2022

The kind of justice I believe in does not give “them that’s got” an uninterrupted pipeline to keep profiting from pollution. That’s granting the workers who pocketed great salaries and benefits, while filling our air and water with toxic waste, a free pass from taking any responsibility for their actions. That ain’t justice.

Coal

Coal Oil Clean Cleaning

MIT Report Finds Natural Gas Has Significant Potential to Displace Coal, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Role in Transportation More Limited

Green Car Congress

JUNE 26, 2010

Natural gas will play a leading role in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions over the next several decades, largely by replacing older, inefficient coal plants with highly efficient combined-cycle gas generation, according to a major new interim report out from MIT. The first two reports dealt with nuclear power (2003) and coal (2007).

MIT

MIT Coal Gas Emissions

CSIRO study finds little to no environmental impact from fracing in Queensland

Green Car Congress

APRIL 27, 2020

A comprehensive three-year scientific study into the air, water and soil impacts of hydraulic fracturing (HF) in coal seam gas (CSG) in Queensland, Australia has found little to no impacts on air quality, soils, groundwater and waterways. Source: CSIRO.

Coal

Coal Water Australia Gas

Conservation group opposing Thacker Pass lithium mine seeks endangered status for Kings River pyrg (snail)

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

The sedimentary-clay deposit at Thacker Pass will use similar mining techniques to many coal deposits. In 2019, Lithium Americas entered into a mine design, consulting and mine operations agreement with Sawtooth Mining, a subsidiary of North American Coal. GBRW submitted an independent report on the proposed tailings facility.

Nevada

Nevada Coal Pollution Argentina

New tool provides upstream data data for lifecycle analysis of fuels

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 10, 2012

The Excel-based Upstream Dashboard provides “upstream” data for lifecycle analysis of coal, natural gas, crude oil, uranium, and biomass, as well as gasoline, ethanol, jet fuel, and diesel derived from either petroleum or coal-gasification.

Fuel

Fuel Coal Climate Change Illinois

Converting Coal Power Plants to Nuclear Gains Steam

Cars That Think

SEPTEMBER 27, 2022

On a planet aspiring to become carbon neutral, the once-stalwart coal power plant is an emerging anachronism. It is true that, in much of the developing world, coal-fired capacity continues to grow. But in every corner of the globe, political and financial pressures are mounting to bury coal in the past.

Coal

Coal Convert Powered Power

Siemens Energy, FFI and GeoPura developing prototype ammonia cracker to produce hydrogen

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

The traditional process of producing ammonia has used “grey” or “black” hydrogen from either natural gas or coal. million) proof-of-concept facility showcased an ammonia-based energy storage system that turned electricity, water and air into ammonia without releasing carbon emissions. million (US$1.8-million)

Hydrogen

Hydrogen Energy Grid Ireland

DOE to award up to $14M to 6 new projects to advance IGCC with carbon capture technology for coal-fired plants

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

The selected projects are intended to improve the economics of IGCC plants and promote the use of the US’abundant coal resources. Higher efficiencies mean that less fuel is used to generate power, in turn resulting in better economics, which can mean lower costs to consumers and the formation of fewer harmful pollutants.

Coal

Coal Carbon North Dakota EPRI

US and China jointly announce GHG reduction targets; US to cut net GHG 26-28% by 2025, China to peak CO2 by ~2030

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2014

The Administration said that the ambitious target is grounded in analysis of cost-effective carbon pollution reductions achievable under existing law and will keep the United States on a trajectory to achieve deep economy-wide reductions on the order of 80% by 2050. The new US goal will double the pace of GHG reduction from 1.2%

China

China CO2 Climate Change United States

Obama Announces Steps to Boost Biofuels, Clean Coal; RFS2, BCAP, BIWG and Carbon Capture and Storage Task Force

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 4, 2010

In addition, President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum creating an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage to develop a comprehensive and coordinated federal strategy to speed the development and deployment of advanced lower-emission coal technologies. Regulatory compliance – EPA and USDA. Sustainability – EPA and USDA.

Obama

Obama Coal Clean Cleaning

Final session on international mercury convention this week expected to culminate in agreement; UNEP Global Mercury Assessment 2013 finds industrial source Hg emissions may be rising

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 13, 2013

Unintentional emission sectors: Coal burning, ferrous- and non-ferrous (Au, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) metal production, cement production. The session is expected to culminate in the adoption of a new convention by the 147 states attending the session to reduce mercury emissions and releases to the air, water and land. Source: UNEP.

Mercury

Mercury Emissions 2013 Global

Are EVs Charged Mostly By Coal Power in the US?

EV Adoption

MAY 25, 2021

One of the common arguments you hear from people in America who are not fans of the idea of electric vehicles is that they are mostly charged from electricity produced from coal power plants. Heavy Coal Using States Accounted for Only 10% of EV Sales in 2020. The argument that EVs are powered mostly from coal simply isn’t true.

Coal

Coal West Virginia Powered Power

Renault makes public its lifecycle study of Fluence ICE vs Fluence EV

Green Car Congress

JULY 11, 2013

Quantifies the production of pollutant ozone (? water, and non-renewable energies (crude oil, coal.) Quantifies the quantity of energy (crude oil, coal.) For the thermal engines, the impacts in the use phase come from: Pollutant emissions (CO 2 , NO x , HC, CO). Eutrophication Potential (kg Phosphates equivalent).

Li-ion

Li-ion Gasoline-Electric Ozone Diesel

Duke study finds China’s synthetic natural gas plants will have heavy environmental toll; 2x vehicle GHG if used for fuel

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Coal-powered synthetic natural gas (SNG) plants being planned in China would produce seven times more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional natural gas plants, and use up to 100 times the water as shale gas production, according to a new study by Duke University researchers published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Gas

Gas Mercury Fuel Climate Change

New full LCA highlights complexity of environmental advantages and disadvantages of EVs relative to ICE vehicles; the importance of life cycle thinking

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 7, 2012

EVs offer advantages in terms of powertrain efficiency, maintenance requirements, and zero tailpipe emissions, the last of which contributes to reducing urban air pollution relative to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). This has led to a general perception of EVs as an environmentally benign technology. Hawkins et al.

Gasoline-Electric

Gasoline-Electric Vehicles Coal Gasoline

National Academies Report Examines Hidden Cost of Energy Production and Use in US; Estimates $120B in 2005

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 22, 2009

A new report from the National Research Council examines and, when possible, estimates, “hidden” costs of energy production and use—such as the damage air pollution imposes on human health—that are not reflected in market prices of coal, oil, other energy sources, or the electricity and gasoline produced from them.

2005

2005 Cost Of Energy Coal

California Energy Commission approves $8M grant for H2 fueling station at Port of Long Beach

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Promoting the use of zero-emission vehicles will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution at the nation?s The natural gas energy procured will replace electricity procured from a coal fired plant. s second-busiest container port. The station will source hydrogen from 100% renewable biogas.

Long Beach

Long Beach Grant California Fuel

Declining atmospheric sulfur levels due to pollution controls may lead to need for sulfur fertilizers for crops

Green Car Congress

MAY 9, 2016

Air pollution legislation to control fossil fuel emissions and the associated acid rain has worked—perhaps leading to the need for sulfur fertilizers for crop production. We don’t think there are actual sulfur deficiencies yet, but clearly more sulfur is coming out of the soil and water than what is going in.

Pollution

Pollution Illinois Coal Water

Berkeley Lab releases 8th edition of databook on China’s energy and environment; finding the “missing” energy consumption

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

They used a lot more coal than they originally admitted to, several hundred million tons more. Another major shift is that China has become a voracious energy importer, especially of coal and liquefied natural gas. Like the United States, China has become among the world’s largest importers of oil, gas and coal.

Environment

Environment Energy Coal United States

WHO attributes more than 1 in 4 deaths annually of children under 5 years to unhealthy environment

Green Car Congress

MARCH 6, 2017

WHO estimated in 2012 that 26% of childhood deaths and 25% of the total disease burden in children under five could be prevented through the reduction of environmental risks such as air pollution, unsafe water, sanitation and inadequate hygiene or chemicals. —“Don’t Pollute My Future”. The report, Don’t pollute my future!

Environment

Environment Pollution Water Waste

DOE selects 7 Solid Oxide Fuel Cell research projects for further development

Green Car Congress

JULY 31, 2012

The ultimate goal is the generation of efficient, cost-competitive electricity from domestic coal with near-zero emissions of carbon dioxide and air pollutants. The projects include: ?. Topic Area 1: Electrochemical Performance Enhancement Activity. Boston University.

Fuel

Fuel West Virginia Coal Universal

GE Technology Selected for Hydrogen Energy IGCC Project in California

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 31, 2009

IGCC plants gasify solid fuels into syngas, which then is used by a gas turbine combined-cycle system to generate electricity, providing a cleaner, economical coal-to-power option. The technology proposed for the Hydrogen Energy California plant would convert petroleum coke, coal or a combination of each into syngas.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen California Energy Tampa

It’s Time To Go To The Mattresses

Creative Greenius

JANUARY 12, 2009

So let me get this straight - while those of us who are trying to lead greener lives, have been cutting our carbon footprints and working with our cities, states and the rest of the USA to help them do likewise, Killer Coal has been playing us for chumps and wiping out all our efforts every single second of every day.

Coal

Coal Carbon Climate Tax

E. coli as a surrogate for water pollution – a modern canary in the coal mine

Innovation News Network

AUGUST 5, 2024

coli and its contribution to water pollution could help improve detection strategies. coli as a surrogate for water pollution – a modern canary in the coal mine appeared first on Innovation News Network. Discover more here. The post E.

Pollution

Pollution Coal Water Supplies

Researchers describe the “where” and “when” of life cycle emissions from gasoline and ethanol in the US

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 11, 2012

Researchers from the University of Minnesota have produced a spatially and temporally explicit life cycle inventory (LCI) of air pollutants from gasoline, ethanol derived from corn grain, and ethanol from corn stover for the contiguous US (the lower 48 states). The researchers included a sixth pollutant, ammonia (NH 3 ).

Gasoline

Gasoline Emissions Gasoline-Electric Pollution

Geely invests in Carbon Recycling Intl.; vehicles fueled by methanol from CO2, water and renewable energy

Green Car Congress

JULY 8, 2015

Geely’s CRI investment and work with renewable methanol is similar to the approach Audi is taking with its own e-fuels projects—producing very low carbon liquid or gaseous fuels using only renewable energy, water and CO 2. Earlier post.). Earlier post.) Methanol in China. Delving into the emissions side, Chen et al.

Renewable

Renewable Carbon Water Fuel

Obama Administration Announces $8.33B in Loan Guarantees for New Nuclear Power Reactors in Georgia; First New US Nuclear Power Plant Project in Nearly 3 Decades

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 17, 2010

The AP1000 is a 1,117 to 1,154 MWe pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plant that is an extension of the older AP600 design. (It It is considered a Generation III Advanced Light Water Reactor.) That is why we need comprehensive energy and climate legislation to create a system of incentives to make clean energy profitable.

Georgia

Georgia Obama Powered Power

Argonne releases GREET 2020

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 10, 2020

Users can evaluate the impacts on energy use, water consumption, and emissions of e-fuel production pathways using different hydrogen (H 2 ) and electricity sources. Electricity generation efficiency and criteria air pollutant emission factors. Argonne added a new “E-fuel” tab that covers several e-fuel production pathways.

2020

2020 Gas-Electric Lithium Ion Mariner

Obama climate plan calls for new fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles post-2018; cleaner fuels and investment in advanced fossil energy

Green Car Congress

JUNE 25, 2013

The new goal is that efficiency standards for appliances and federal buildings set in the first and second terms combined will reduce carbon pollution by at least 3 billion metric tons cumulatively by 2030—equivalent to nearly one-half of the CO 2 emissions from the entire US energy sector for one year.

Obama

Obama Cleaner Fuel Economy Climate

One of Texas’ dirtiest coal plants will swap to solar with help from US grant

Baua Electric

DECEMBER 21, 2024

A coal plant in South Texas will shut down and convert to a solar + battery electricity generation facility, with the help of a $1.4 SMECI has operated a mine mouth lignite-fired coal plant (named due to its proximity to the mine that supplies it) since 1982. But that coal-fired plant is one of the dirtiest in Texas.

Coal

Coal Grant Texas Solar

WVU opens new research facility to extract valuable rare earth elements from acid mine drainage

Green Car Congress

JULY 22, 2018

West Virginia University (WVU) researchers are opening a new facility to capture rare earth elements (REEs) from acid mine drainage (AMD) from coal mining. Paul Ziemkiewicz, director of the West Virginia Water Research Institute and principal investigator on the project, is an expert in acid mine drainage.

West Virginia

West Virginia Coal Virginia Waste

Study findings suggest that switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate

WHO links 7 million premature deaths annually to air pollution; 12.5% of total global deaths

OSU team develops process to clean coal mine drainage and extract rare earth elements

Design study for SA underground coal gasification plant underway

Poor air quality to remain a problem in India despite pollution control policies

EPA’s 2011 Toxics Release Inventory shows air pollutants continue to decline, releases of toxic chemicals up

Report: Plastics industry will release more GHGs than coal plants in the US by 2030

DOE awards $7M to eight oxy-combustion coal technology projects; carbon capture, utilization and storage

EPA Proposes Transport Rule to Cut Pollution from Power Plants in 31 States and DC; New Approach for Pollution Reduction

Alaska Native Corporation Proposes Underground Coal Gasification Project with Carbon Capture for Power Generation

Study projects thermoelectric power in Europe and US vulnerable to climate change due to lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures

Study suggests city center pollution doubles risk of calcium build-up in arteries

NRDC says Baard Energy agrees to switch from coal to natural gas for feedstock for proposed synthetic fuel plant in Ohio to avoid further permit challenges

There’s Only One Kind Of “Just” Transition I Want To See

MIT Report Finds Natural Gas Has Significant Potential to Displace Coal, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Role in Transportation More Limited

CSIRO study finds little to no environmental impact from fracing in Queensland

Conservation group opposing Thacker Pass lithium mine seeks endangered status for Kings River pyrg (snail)

New tool provides upstream data data for lifecycle analysis of fuels

Converting Coal Power Plants to Nuclear Gains Steam

Siemens Energy, FFI and GeoPura developing prototype ammonia cracker to produce hydrogen

DOE to award up to $14M to 6 new projects to advance IGCC with carbon capture technology for coal-fired plants

US and China jointly announce GHG reduction targets; US to cut net GHG 26-28% by 2025, China to peak CO2 by ~2030

Obama Announces Steps to Boost Biofuels, Clean Coal; RFS2, BCAP, BIWG and Carbon Capture and Storage Task Force

Final session on international mercury convention this week expected to culminate in agreement; UNEP Global Mercury Assessment 2013 finds industrial source Hg emissions may be rising

Are EVs Charged Mostly By Coal Power in the US?

Renault makes public its lifecycle study of Fluence ICE vs Fluence EV

Duke study finds China’s synthetic natural gas plants will have heavy environmental toll; 2x vehicle GHG if used for fuel

New full LCA highlights complexity of environmental advantages and disadvantages of EVs relative to ICE vehicles; the importance of life cycle thinking

National Academies Report Examines Hidden Cost of Energy Production and Use in US; Estimates $120B in 2005

California Energy Commission approves $8M grant for H2 fueling station at Port of Long Beach

Declining atmospheric sulfur levels due to pollution controls may lead to need for sulfur fertilizers for crops

Berkeley Lab releases 8th edition of databook on China’s energy and environment; finding the “missing” energy consumption

WHO attributes more than 1 in 4 deaths annually of children under 5 years to unhealthy environment

DOE selects 7 Solid Oxide Fuel Cell research projects for further development

GE Technology Selected for Hydrogen Energy IGCC Project in California

It’s Time To Go To The Mattresses

E. coli as a surrogate for water pollution – a modern canary in the coal mine

Researchers describe the “where” and “when” of life cycle emissions from gasoline and ethanol in the US

Geely invests in Carbon Recycling Intl.; vehicles fueled by methanol from CO2, water and renewable energy

Obama Administration Announces $8.33B in Loan Guarantees for New Nuclear Power Reactors in Georgia; First New US Nuclear Power Plant Project in Nearly 3 Decades

Argonne releases GREET 2020

Obama climate plan calls for new fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles post-2018; cleaner fuels and investment in advanced fossil energy

One of Texas’ dirtiest coal plants will swap to solar with help from US grant

WVU opens new research facility to extract valuable rare earth elements from acid mine drainage

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