One of the most measured and convincing responses so far has come from Pennsylvania Professor Frank Clemente through his Energy Facts Weekly.
Clemente points to a statement from International Energy Agency director Maria van der Hoeven made in January 2012 that: “Coal is a staple energy source [and] will remain a key primary energy source and an important part of fostering economic growth and alleviating energy poverty”
In his Energy Facts posting Clemente says the growing role of coal is well recognized at the IEA.
“For decades oil has been the world’s leading energy provider,” he says.
“In 2030, however, oil will account for just 28 per cent of global demand as coal takes the lead of 29 per cent.
“Electricity is the lifeblood of modern society.
“Beneficial electrification through coal opens the door to utilizing America’s most valuable energy resource as well as enhancing the quality of life in a growing nation.
“By 2030 the US will have a population approaching 375 million people – about 225 million more than existed in 1950.
“The amount of electric power required to meet the needs of this increasing population will be staggering.
“Coal is the only fuel that can meet that demand at scale.”
The US Energy Information Administration forecasts that by 2030 coal will account for 1745 terrawatt hours of electricity generation. The next closest generation source to that is gas with 1221TWh.
“Advanced supercritical and ultra-supercritical coal generation utilizes less fuel and produces more power with reduced emissions,” Clemente says.
“Improving efficiency levels increases the amount of energy that can be extracted from a single unit of coal.
“Such increases in the efficiency of electricity generation are essential in meeting climate change goals.
“A 1 percentage point improvement in the efficiency of a conventional pulverized coal combustion plant results in a 2 to 3 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions.
“Such advanced coal plants emit almost 40 per cent less CO2 than many existing plants.
“The average global efficiency of coal-fired plants is 28 per cent compared to 45 per cent for the most advanced plants.”
Clemente says Bloomberg’s comments are environmentally counterproductive because they delay the implementation of clean coal technologies.
“The global coal reserve far exceeds that of both oil and natural gas and the US has 27 per cent of the world’s coal endowment,” he says.
“America’s coal is an international resource.
“The unreasonable attacks on coal cruelly deny the opportunities for literally billions of people to escape the grim reality of life without electricity, to drink cleaner water, eat more wholesome food, learn to read and live longer lives.
“The urgency of sustainable coal has never been greater.
“Mayor Bloomberg is wrong.”
