How to Replace Coal Energy
According to the federal Energy Information Agency, the United States receives more of its energy from burning coal than from any other source. While abundant and cheap, coal is also responsible for a large amount of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. This has led to calls from certain parties to phase out the use of coal and replace it with other fuel sources. While in the long term this appears feasible, it remains a steep challenge for the foreseeable future.
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Find viable alternatives. Because coal is so widely used, before it can be replaced, one or more viable alternative sources of energy must be found. These energy sources should be inexpensive, nonpolluting and available in all regions that currently rely on coal for their power. Options include a slew of renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, and hydroelectric, as well as more traditional sources, such as plants powered by nuclear activity and clean-burning natural gas.
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Fund the development and production of renewable energy sources. Renewable energy is not more widely used today for several reasons. For one, in terms of the dollars it costs in infrastructure and operation for every megawatt of power generated, almost all renewable energy costs more to produce than fossil fuels. As technology improves, costs of renewable energy are dropping, creating the need for further research to be funded. In addition, most renewable energy sources are limited to certain geographic areas; for example, wind turbines can only be situated in areas that receive sufficient wind. Improved transmission technology will help ameliorate this problem.
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Incentivize the development of nuclear power plants. Although there still exist concerns about the safety of nuclear power plants, nearly 10 percent of U.S. power continues to be produced by nuclear facilities. Nuclear power plants are relatively cheap in comparison with most renewable energy sources, they can be situated in almost any geographic region, and they produce almost no greenhouse gas emissions. Many experts consider them a vital element in the process of replacing fossil fuels.
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Promote energy efficiency. One of the advantages of coal is that it's inexpensive. If coal is replaced by other, more expensive sources of energy, the price of power will rise. To offset some of this increase in cost, energy should be used more efficiently, either through improving the efficiency of the facilities or by more effectively regulating the production and transmission of electricity. This will not only reduce energy costs to homes and businesses, but, due to the law of supply and demand, cut the overall market price of electricity.
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Retrain former coal workers in new professions. If coal energy is replaced, many people who work in the industry, such as miners, coal power plant technicians and those who supply ancillary services and technology to coal companies, will be out of a job. It will be necessary to find new employment for these workers, which can be done by offering them retraining, perhaps in new "green" jobs related to the energy sources replacing coal.
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