Coal Fired Energy Plants - Their Impact
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On People and the Environment
Living in the Appalachian region, I am aware of Coal Fired Energy Plants and their impact on the people and the environment. The coal process is very dirty from beginning to end. Today I will talk about the end process, burning coal for electricity.
You may be surprised at some of the information you find here on coal-fired power plants and the impact they have on people and the environment.
Per Climate Change in the Midwest we are projected to reach CO2 levels of 940 parts per million by the year 2100.
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Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com
The First Coal-Burning Power Plant
Thomas Edison
In 1882 Thomas Edison fired up the first coal energy plant on Pearl Street in New York City. Residents in lower Manhattan immediately started complaining about pollution and soot. The solution was to build taller smokestacks and move the plants to the outskirts of the cities.
The old power industry adage?
"The solution to pollution is dilution."
Source:
~Big Coal by Jeff Goodell
Some of the Pollutants that Coal Energy Plants Emit
Harmful to Human Health and the Environment
Arsenic
Mercury
Carbon monoxide
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen oxide
Sulfur dioxide
Hydrocarbons
A note about Mercury. It is highly toxic, an element, a neurotoxin, and it does not erode or decay. It stays forever, once released into the environment.
The US and China (not worldwide) burn close to four billion tons of coal per year - 18 billion metric tons of Carbon Dioxide is what is released worldwide from these power plants.
Above Photo From Cheshire Ohio
Wake Up Call:
A lot of the heat created by burning coal is lost to the atmosphere. Only 30 to 35 percent of the heat produced by burning coal becomes "energy".
That means that 65 to 70% of what is mined is for nothing.
How do Coal Fired Power Stations Work?
This is a Neat Little Video about Coal-Fired Power Plants
What is Carbon?
The Carbon Cycle
Carbon is found almost everywhere. It is an element in animals, plants, and humans. Carbon is found in the gas carbon dioxide.
Carbon is found in soil, fossil fuels, rocks, some animal shells, oceans, and lakes.
Carbon is stored in plants and trees through photosynthesis. When plants and trees die and become part of the earth, parts of the matter turn into fossil fuels -like oil and coal- over a long period of time.
Just like land plants, ocean plants use and store carbon. They release carbon dioxide,.
Interesting fact:
Some animals remove carbon from the ocean by using it to make their shells.
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com
Greenhouse Gases
Our Big Impact:
- Carbon dioxide is a large contributor to the Greenhouse Effect.
- Carbon dioxide is released when we burn fossil fuels, also called combustion.
- Deforestation creates greenhouse gas. When the trees are cut down they can no longer remove carbon dioxide.
- When the trees are burned the stored carbon becomes carbon dioxide and is released into the atmosphere.
- Nearly 40 percent of U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide come from coal energy plants.
Carbon Capture
Lake Nyos
Is now being tested at the AEP Mountaineer Power Plant in West Virginia. They are injecting the CO2 back down into the ground.
AEP also got a 334 million dollar grant from the Department of Energy.
More info at Source Watch - Mountaineer
This scares me because as with all other things that is coal related, they eventually fail somewhere at some time.
~August 21, 1986, Cameroon's Lake Nyos~
The release of CO2 asphyxiated 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock in the surrounding area.
Appalachian Voices
Photo from AEP
Pollution Control Devices. Really?
Smokestack Scrubbers
Just as clean coal technology creates waste -coal slurry- the process of attempting to reduce air pollution at the power plants create waste. Fly ash and coal sludge are the outcomes of burning coal. Coal sludge and fly ash from burning coal is stored the same way as the coal fines or blackwater is stored. You guessed it. It's stored in unlined, unmonitored, ground impoundments. These impoundments/retention ponds have been known to fail.
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com
Toxic Coal Sludge Spill
400 Acres of Land Covered
TVA Kingston fossil plant released more than a billion gallons of toxic coal sludge when a retention pond crumbled outside of this Tennessee Coal Burning Power Plant. The Tennessee River -main water supply- is downstream. Very high arsenic levels would later be found by the EPA.
About 400 acres of land was coated by this sludge.
Dec. 22, 2008 Harriman, TN
Coal Transportation
Coal Still Plays an Impact On Our Health
Coal is typically transported via the railroad and barges. Railroads and barges both use diesel. Diesel fuel contributes large amounts of nitrogen oxide to the air. In addition to that the uncovered coal is blown off the rail cars, barges, and coal storage piles putting particulate matter into the air.
So, yes. Coal even plays an impact on our health and the environment when it is transported or even just sitting in a pile waiting to be moved or burned.
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com
Global Warming
The Environment
Global Warming is caused by greenhouse gases. These gases act like an earth cover and trap heat in our atmosphere. Humans are the primary source of greenhouse gases. We contribute every time we use electricity, drive a car, use a piece of paper, or even eat a hamburger.
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com
"Alternative Energy guru Amory Lovins estimates that by the time you mine the coal, haul it to the power plant, burn it, and then send the electricity out over the wires to the incandescent bulb in your home, only about 3 percent of the energy contained in a ton of coal is transformed into light."
~Big Coal by Jeff Goodell
What Can YOU Do To Reduce Greenhouse Gases?
You get the idea. If you are conscious of the situation and are not wasteful, you will help the situation tremendously.
Earth Day 2011 - April 22
Take a Stand
I am begging everyone to do something. I realize the economy is bad but there are a lot of free things that you can do like post an article or write your representative.
Anything. A lot of littles do add up to a whole lot.
I do not think people realize the situation.
Do it for future generations.
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com
The Best Documentary
Burning the Future
Burning the Future: Coal in America
Amazon Price: $12.60 (as of 06/01/2012)
List Price: $26.95
Used Price: $12.39
Release Date: 08/25/2009
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Why does this interest me?
a New Coal-Fired Power Plant is Going Up
An Old Dominion Power Plant is currently being built in Wise County, Virginia
Many fought against it, some are still fighting, but it hasn't stopped Dominion from continuing to build.
They promised lots and lots of jobs. I am aware of one person that works there. When you drive by you see truck after truck with out-of-state tags. The residents didn't get their promissed jobs, but I assure you that we will get a whole lot of sick real soon.
Look at towns with coal-fired power plants. Why does anyone think this would be any different? Heck, AEP bought the entire town of Cheshire, Ohio!
Haven't we had our share already with mining of all kinds, waste in our water, and particulate matter floating around? I guess not. Lets add another power plant, some acid rain, more mercury, more arsenic, CO2, and fly ash. We already have the Clinch River Power Plant thanks to AEP, so I guess one more isn't going to make or break us...
This scares me badly. I'm glad that my son is close to graduating because I cannot currently afford to move. I told him he has to get out of this area. He needs to move someplace greener to raise his family.
Most Recent News on the Wise County Power Plant
This plant will release over 9,000 tons of pollutants and 5.3 million tons of carbon dioxide into the environment every year under the 2008 approved permits.
Virginia Power Plants
Here are just a few
Because Ignorance is Stupidity
Coal Mining Appalachia
Sources Used:
- Big Coal by Jeff Goodell
- More information about Jeff Goodell and his work.
- Union of Concerned Scientists
- Citizens and Scientist for Environmental Solutions
- Wikipedia
- Fossil Fuel Power Stations
- EPA
- Climate Chage
- Scientific America
- Worlds First CO2 capturing Power Plant
- Environmental, Health and Safety News
- Stimulus money for carbon capture and storage
- Appalachian Voices
- Everything about Appalachia and protecting the environment and our heritage.
What Are Your Thoughts?
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GonnaFly
May 17, 2010 @ 12:15 am | delete
- A very interesting read and a well presented lens.
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callinsky
May 20, 2010 @ 8:43 am | delete
- Thank you for the visit. I'm still trying to add more information to these lenses regarding coal. I'm gathering more information as I have time. Off to visit yours. (O;
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GoodBug
May 9, 2010 @ 12:12 am | delete
- Great lens that interests me because we still have a few coal powered electricity plants here in New Zealand too. Mostly we use geothermal or hydro but still a few of these remain.
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kimmanleyort
Apr 11, 2010 @ 8:54 am | delete
- This is an informative outline of the impacts from burning coal. Where I live, we can choose to get all or a portion of our electricity from renewable energy. If more people did this, it would create a demand for renewable energy, and less of a demand for coal.
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callinsky
Apr 11, 2010 @ 10:46 am | delete
- That is the most wonderful thing every. I wish it was an option for us.
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Thank You For Visiting
The Impact of Coal-Burning Power Plants
by CoalMiningAppalachia-
Thank you for visiting: Coal Energy Plants - Their Impact
This takes a look at the last stop in the coal process, coal-fired power plants and the impact...
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Big Coal
By My Idol: Jeff Goodell
Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future
Amazon Price: $1.79 (as of 06/01/2012)
A book that everyone should read who is interested in the coal process from beginning to end.
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