what are the pros and cons of coal electricity?

Question

besides that is cheap and that there is plenty of it

Answer 1

pros- reliable, cheap, (if you consider that a pro, some environmental economists say that cheap energy begets products reliant on cheap energy which beget irrational demand for cheap energy which begets environmental degredation)
cons- coal power, even allegedly "clean coal" is the most polluting of all major energy sources. coal extraction is very damaging to the environment. Coal mining is dangerous, leads to deaths every year in the United States, and innumerable deaths in 3rd world and through cancer. Coal Plants also are a problem because nobody wants them near their homes so they are often in the middle of nowhere, making the electricity travel further, and drastically reduces efficiency. Also coal plants are only suitable as "base load plants" so they are not adaptable if demand changes throughout the day.

Answer 2

We have plenty of fuel and the large deposits we have is because the earth recycles our air and in the process starts the recycle of the fossil fuels. We will never run out ,we may run short on some supplies . It would be much better to use coal for electrical plants where the smoke is scrubbed and will be very clean. 30 years ago in the north where there was a lot of coal burned ,things got dirty even our clothes but there were not the problems that the environmentalist want u to believe. If u burn up all the gas and need to run your car off coal do u think it will be as clean.

Answer 3

From an American perspective:

1.) America is the Middle East of coal. Abundant supply all over the place. - advantage

2.) Its a very dirty fuel source. Mercury and Sulfur compounds are in just about every coal deposit and they need to be diligently scrubbed.

However, a modern coal burning power plant emits nothing but water vapor. Its not smoke you see, its steam. That steam is cleaner from total pollution emission standpoint than a single car.

Answer 4

Wiki it. But seriously: pros--cheap; cons--produces lots of CO2, which science says causes GW and will, if left unchecked, cause damage in the next 100 years.