Coal saving the world

Now there is an interesting perspective for once......

http://oilprice.com/Energy/Coal/Is-Coal ... rming.html

Now that is interesting! Thanks for posting the link!

I've heard this argument before.

The study, carried out in collaboration with Michael Mann, the United Nations’ scientific panel member and global warming activist, also cited lowered solar activity and the natural El Nino and La Nina effects of ocean patterns as other possible contributors to the lack in warming.

Mann is the creator of the "Hockey Stick".

It's my understanding that the cooling effects of sulfur come from the acceleration of cloud formation by the sulfur oxides produced during coal combustion. The article references earlier "greenhouse gas" controls, but I believe it meant to refer to the efforts to curb acid rain via SO2 emissions. Those efforts were largely successful, but had the unanticipated effect of reducing cloud formation and increasing solar heat gain. If there are any unbiased climate scientists left, maybe one of them would perform some analysis that takes this, as well as the other factors referenced at the end of the article, into account.

Mike

nothing like a cooler planet ! covered in a nice layer of sulfur.

I'm not sure about the "layer of sulfur" part. The sulfur oxides are gasses, and they contribute to the formation of acid rain, so there's some in the atmosphere and some in the water. They occur naturally through things like volcanoes and forest fires, and I think they come out of the ocean, as well, so they've pretty much always been around.

In the U.S., we've cut back a lot on the man-made component through (gasp) environmental regulations, but before a war of flaming posts breaks out over regulation I'd like to note the following. Under the Clean Air Act (as amended) increasingly tight limitations were placed on sulfur emissions from burning coal (at power plants, etc.), but at least until now the limitations have been satisfied (through conversion to low-sulfur coals, scrubbers, etc.) while coal use has continued to grow. In this case, the regulations spurred a few changes and innovations that greatly reduced the damage from acid rain without hindering the overall use of coal.

Not sure how long it will take for China and other big developing coal users to figure that out...

Mike

It is a concern I admit, but with China adding a new coal power station every week (that is why they need so much coal), i'm not sure how much good we do even if they are reasonably clean power stations. China is waking up to the cost of eco damage but the only real solution is for 7 billion people on this planet to become 3 billion. All the other fixes are BS.

We need Al Gore to lecture us on population dynamics. The last gig (which he knew nothing about either) is not paying so well these days. All those bikini clad bimbos in his new mansion are expensive and the Lear jet needs a service.

coalnewbie wrote:All those bikini clad bimbos in his new mansion are expensive and the Lear jet needs a service.

Maybe he'd want to economize on his heating bill with a nice coal stove, furnace or boiler?

Mike