The Advantages of Using Coal to Make Electricity

One of the chief sources of electricity in developed nations such as the United States, Russia and China is a network of coal-burning power plants. These plants use coal to create heat that causes gas to spin a turbine, thereby creating electricity. While alternative forms of energy continue to gain market share, coal remains a major source of electricity for several reasons.

Cost

• One of the biggest advantages of electricity produced by burning coal is its low cost. Even compared to other non-renewable resources such as natural gas and oil, coal is an economical energy source. Using coal exclusively or predominantly allows public utilities to offer low electric rates to customers and helps to reduce the amount of income businesses and families spend on energy.

Availability

• Another major benefit of coal is its availability. Coal deposits are present around the world, making it easy to mine regionally. This means less cost and energy used to transport it, since coal can be mined closer to the place it will be needed.

  In addition, worldwide coal deposits are not concentrated in unstable areas, as is the case with oil. This means relative price stability and predictable access for the companies that mine and burn coal. Current coal reserves should last into the 23rd century, making the future availability of coal more certain than that of other fossil fuels.

Environmental Flexibility

• Like other fossil fuels, coal is sometimes blamed for the harmful carbon emissions that come from burning it to produce electricity. However, new methods of using coal responsibly, brought together under the broad heading "clean coal" technology, offer ways to filter coal emissions and capture carbon for reinsertion into the earth. Since these options for environmental protection exist, coal has an advantage over other polluting forms of electricity production that are more difficult or expensive to protect against.