Coal Energy Systems

Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel in the world. There is approximately twice as much recoverable coal in the world as there is oil and natural gas combined. The US has over 200 years of coal reserves, the largest amount in the world. There has been recently new legislation regulating emissions from coal-fired plants. Due to environmental concerns and legislation, coal has transitioned from a “dirty” fuel to one with low environmental impacts. Coal Energy Systems presents the vision for utilizing coal in the 21st century to produce heat, electricity, and chemicals with near-zero emissions. In this context, the author compares coal to other energy sources and discusses the importance of coal as an alternative for nations that are overly dependent on foreign imports for energy.