Clean Coal as an Energy Source: Myth or Future Reality?

Is clean coal a real possibility, or is it just a happy dream? The Reality Coalition has set out to reveal that 'Clean Coal' is just a myth created by coal companies.

The Reality Coalition is made of up The Alliance for Climate Protection, League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Sierra Club.

Experts state that coal is the dirtiest fuel that Americans use to produce electricity. There is nothing in America that is powered by clean coal. However, America does greatly depend on coal in this day and age, but if it is to become part of America's future energy source it will need to use global warming pollution capture technology.

The Reality Coalition started their campaign December 4^th 2008. They are using all forms of media to reach as broad of an audience as possible.

They have a website to support their campaign. Thisisreality.org . On the website you can view their commercial. The website is full of facts about coal, and the myths surrounding clean coal.

The Coal industry is spending millions to portray coal as clean.

In 2003 The United States Government began a project called Futuregen. It was still in the development stage in 2008, but it was cancelled due to the Department of Energy pulled funding. Construction was to begin in 2009, and it was expected to be in full production by 2012.

Greenpeace has stated that Clean Coal could increase the cost of energy drstically. Such high costs would call for a new source of energy, one that should be found before we resort to coal as a source of energy.

Americaspower.com is a site to demonstrate the cleanliness of coal today. It is also the group that represents coal companies.It states that coal is now 70% cleaner . The Reality Coalition does not classify coal as clean until there is zero pollution released into the atmosphere. Coal companies state that half of America's energy comes from coal. Because coal is so cheap the economics of coal makes sense to keep it around. Anti Coal Companies say that the costs of coal in the long run far outweigh the current benefits.

There is six billion dollars being spent in clean coal technology development, but there is no current, accurate, estimate when there will be adequate technology to make The Reality Coalition happy. Anti-Coal says that this is not soon enough; we need it now or never.

There is more coal in America then the rest of the world has oil says Americaspower.com . There is enough coal to last America 200 years. Coal helps America be less dependent of foreign energy. This is why there is a need for more domestic energy sources.

While coal remains the cheapest source of energy it is economically necessary, and at the same time is it environmentally necessary to get rid of this source of energy. Where the equilibrium lies, nobody knows for sure.

America needs a solution, and it needs one soon.

www.Thisisreality.org

http://www.fossil.energy.gov/

www.Americaspower.org

www.greenpeace.org