Coal vs renewables.

JamesBondo

House Member
Mar 3, 2012
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Lets debate coal vs renewables.

I say that coal is our future. We already have hundreds of years worth of coal mapped out, and thats only what we have found already. As we mine for it, we'll uncover more. It seems like every time there are market or supply problems, it is good ol coal that saves the day.
 

Murphy

Executive Branch Member
Apr 12, 2013
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Ontario
I'm sure someone can cite the coal industry's ability to produce power cleanly. Sometimes, I get the feeling that they are dusting off old photos of the days before any controls existed, and holding them up as today's norm.
 

Murphy

Executive Branch Member
Apr 12, 2013
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I say, use up that sun! Suck out all the sun juice and turn the big glowing ball dark!

Oh wait. Don't tell anyone that. Some idiot special interest group will go on a rampage trying to save the sun. They will want to ration the light.
 

JamesBondo

House Member
Mar 3, 2012
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What we need is more research into coal technology, if we can get the gov to spend b8llions on research we can finally get coal to do all things that wind and solar hasnt been able to accomplish in the past decades of trying their best to live up to their promise.

The best part is think about all the workers that get to provide a decent standard of living for their family.
 

Curious Cdn

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 22, 2015
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The best part is think about all the workers that get to provide a decent standard of living for their family.

That never happened in the coal fields of Appalachia before. What's changed this time? Do you really think that improvements to coal technology will trickle down in any way?
 

JamesBondo

House Member
Mar 3, 2012
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That never happened in the coal fields of Appalachia before. What's changed this time? Do you really think that improvements to coal technology will trickle down in any way?
All things being equal, I believe improvements in coal technology is more practical and more plausible than major advancements in renewable technologies. For example, how many billion of dollars have been sunk into hydrogen fuel cells, and still no hydrogen fuel cells, yet the coal industry has already figured out how to scrub their emmissions so well that the days of the black death cloud of london has been a fact for the history books because it doesnt happen anymore.
 

Curious Cdn

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 22, 2015
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All things being equal, I believe improvements in coal technology is more practical and more plausible than major advancements in renewable technologies. For example, how many billion of dollars have been sunk into hydrogen fuel cells, and still no hydrogen fuel cells, yet the coal industry has already figured out how to scrub their emmissions so well that the days of the black death cloud of london has been a fact for the history books because it doesnt happen anymore.

The mining communities of Pennsyltuckey won't see much more than some wage employment out of that ... and at much lower levels than previously due to the widespread automation of what were essentially dangerous and unhealthful jobs. Largesse does not trickle down to disadvantaged areas like that in the US (in Europe, maybe). The US is not structured that way.
 

JamesBondo

House Member
Mar 3, 2012
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I grew up in a mining town, my brother works coal mining. His t4 slip is over 80k per year. I think that type of wage is much different than pensylvania.
 

Curious Cdn

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 22, 2015
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My dad worked in 6 different provinces in mining. He always had food for our table.

I don't doubt it. The Canadian equivalent to Appalachia would be the coal mines of Cape Breton. Those seams are loaded with methane pockets, everywhere and it was always seriously dangerous to mine the stuff and they eventually gave it up. That part of Nova Scotia has been historically poor since the days of sail and the Canadian safety net has helped, some. The US lacks a lot of that. The Tennessee Valley Authority was established partly to fight the grinding poverty, there but it never went away entirely and Trump tapped into their anger and disappointment.
 

JamesBondo

House Member
Mar 3, 2012
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You know what? I have a pet peeve. Some people will say that coal will NEVER be clean enough, yet they dont debate fair and objectively because they get very closed minded when someone says solar will NEVER be reliable enough, and wind will NEVER be maintenance free enough.

They believe that technolgy will solve their problems BUT it wont solve everyone else's problems.

I believe technology will get coal there before it gets solar or wind. Man oh man, is my belief so blasphemous to them.
 

JamesBondo

House Member
Mar 3, 2012
4,158
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I don't doubt it. The Canadian equivalent to Appalachia would be the coal mines of Cape Breton. Those seams are loaded with methane pockets, everywhere and it was always seriously dangerous to mine the stuff and they eventually gave it up. That part of Nova Scotia has been historically poor since the days of sail and the Canadian safety net has helped, some. The US lacks a lot of that. The Tennessee Valley Authority was established partly to fight the grinding poverty, there but it never went away entirely and Trump tapped into their anger and disappointment.

Ever here that saying that a domestic vehicle comes with options that dont come with an import.......bridges,schools, roads, hospitals.

What i like about coal? You can't send the mine to mexico or china. The jobs will be local. Or possibly for a neighboring province.
 

Curious Cdn

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 22, 2015
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You know what? I have a pet peeve. Some people will say that coal will NEVER be clean enough, yet they dont debate fair and objectively because they get very closed minded when someone says solar will NEVER be reliable enough, and wind will NEVER be maintenance free enough.

They believe that technolgy will solve their problems BUT it wont solve everyone else's problems.

I believe technology will get coal there before it gets solar or wind. Man oh man, is my belief so blasphemous to them.

I don't think that renewables like solar or wind are coal's competitor at this point in history. Two generations from now, probably. It's the plentiful reserves of clean burning natural gas .. the stuff is everywhere in shale ... that needs no further processing that has driven coal (as a fuel) from the market. It wasn't windmills. There is a few hundred years supply of gas near at hand and even trying to burn coal is a waste.

Turn coal into plastics, yes? That's a winner.