Coal-power boom falters in stampede to alternative sources

Wed, 2008-03-12 10:13Bill Miller
Bill Miller's picture

Coal-power boom falters in stampede to alternative sources









Why don't we all just save some time, and seriously consider the truly clean alternatives? Electric is clean, and the technology is really catching up with other fuel's technologies. Zap has a new electric car that does 0-60 in 4.8 seconds!


Actually many of us who are planning to convert existing cars to EVs or who are already driving EV's do consider the sources of our electricity and it turns out that even when using dirty nasty coal you still produce less green house gasses than a Prius. Sherry Boschert has collected 40 research studies and put it all in a 2006 book called, "Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars That Will Recharge America." 7 of the studies show a 17% - 35% reduction in CO2 emissions over internel combusion engine vehicles using coal exclusively to power the grid. See her website at: and check page 3. Only two others found no reduction and none indicated more emissions of CO2.

That's good to know, and I'm all in favour of electric cars when people need to drive. But we also need to push for the electricity sources to be made cleaner.




Hi Bill, I don't know if you like the IPCC but stating coal fired power stations are "dirty, health hazardous fuel that is coal" isn't within policy. Dr Pachuari, President of the IPCC is well against America or Europe having CFPS but 'let slip' shall we say that Indias half a billion poor who have no electricity should have CFPS's built to electrify them (no wonder no Republicans bowled up when Dr Rasputin appeared at the Senate Committee recently - there's only so much 'BS' the Americans can take eh?).

Here's the link to the BBC interview.

So Europe and American energy strangled while India powers ahead with a new power grid being built as big as both continents grids combined. So much for 'stalling' as you say!!

I'm sure Dr. Pachuari didn't put a gun on TXU's head and ask it to axe its coal plant projects, so I don't know what you're smoking.

Frank Bi, fact-addict and anti-lie bigot


Frank Bi, who mentioned Al Gore?!! Yes the IPCC president Dr Pachuari in the BBC interview mentions a coal fired power grid as big as Europes and Americas combined without batting an eye-lid at the hypocracy of asking us to cut CO2 emissons but I didn't mention Al Gore then jumps in quicker than a capatalist with a plug for BP to build them!

In fact Al Gore, that's the $30,000 a year on household electricity private jet flying to climate conference Al Gore, is such a figure of stupidity and such a joke I don't even bother to mention the guy. He's an idiot and too easy to poke fun at. Nobel Prize my backside. His film has more BS in it than a bull farm.

1 of only 14 in the entire US?


Al Gore private jet man

Al Gore Zinc Miner

Al Gore carbon offsets his own wallet

Al Gore 'Class A' polluter

Al Gore refuses to take Energy Ethics pledge

Al Gore Oil shareholder

Al Gore home electricity bill 20x national average

Al Gore house a 'sweet deal'

Al Gore - 35 Inconvenient Truths

I'm surprised anyone pays this gur $3,000 for a green speech, he's a total loser!

'Dr Pachuari, President of the IPCC . . . ' wah, wah, wah; crocodile tears

Maybe the Bush Administration should have supported American biologist Watson for a second term, instead of shoving energy engineer Pachuari down the IPCC's throat.
They never quite learn - reality's a bitch.



Just how bad is natural gas for the climate?




read more