Peak coal out coal electricity generation in favor of gas, although these plans are still a topic of much debate in Australian politics. Long-term plans for coal in Australia include large-scale export of brown coal to large developing nations such as China and India. Other groups such as the Australian Greens, suggest that coal be left in the ground to avoid its potential combustion either in Australia or in importer nations. Research in 2009 by the University of Newcastle in Australia concluded that Australian coal extraction could peak sometime after 2050. While the Australian Coal Association (ACA) optimistically estimates that Australia's identified
Coal Palace red mortar. Vitric coal was also used to spell "Coal Palace" above the main entrance. Sioux City architect Charles P. Brown was contracted to design the Coal Palace; he had previously designed the first Corn Palace in Sioux City and was at the time planning the second. Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Brown moved to Sioux City in 1886 and had designed much of its downtown. Brown recognized the inherent medieval quality of walls covered in uncut coal and capitalized on this theme by adding turrets, crenellated walls, and spired roofs. Ten flags with the names of the ten coal-donating counties