How Does Coal Compare With Other Sources of Energy?

Burning coal is a form of energy.

Fossil fuels, such as coal, have been used for industrial processes and energy generation, such as electricity. As technology has advanced, other sources of energy have emerged as alternatives to burning coal.

Function

Energy production is needed to power the basic necessities for life, like electricity for a hospital or gas for a vehicle. Many alternatives to coal exist, such as wind, nuclear and solar types.

Identification

The cost to employ coal as an energy source is approximately 4.8 to 5.5 cents for each kilowatt-hour (as of 2010). As compared to nuclear energy, which costs approximately 11.1 to 14.5 cents for each kilowatt-hour, coal is still considerably cheaper.

Considerations

The options of solar and wind energy are encouraging. Since the largest initial cost for setting up these types of energy production centers is from building wind turbines and solar paneling, solar and wind are smart, renewable resources compared to the coal preserves that are slowly dwindling.

References

• Alternative Energy Institute: Alternative Energy