Coal-Fired Power Plants

Why a Coal-fired power plant?

Typical Coal-Fired Plant

Why a Coal-fired power plant?

Coal-fired power plants are a proven, reliable and efficient way to generate electricity, and are critical to meeting power-grid demand.  The basic construction of single reheat large steam turbines for coal-fired power plants was established over 30 years ago.  This construction, designed originally for operating at conventional steam conditions, has achieved very high standards of reliability and operability through continuing development and feedback of operating experience.  The same basic design therefore provides a very sound reference base for high output applications at supercritical operating conditions taking advantage of advanced materials and design refinements.  Advanced pulverized-coal-fired power plants are well suited for mid-range power supply and support the grid system to avoid blackouts.  Coal’s value as a power plant fuel is greatly enhanced by its ability to supply power during peak power demand -- as base power -- and off-peak power demand.

Why is Coal the Best Option?

1. Price Stability
2. Known Technologies
3. Employee Well-Being
4. Coal Reserves
5. Environmentally Sound
6. It Just Makes Good Sense!

Price Stability

In a world with increasingly volatile energy costs, coal provides a stable and reliable source of fuel.

Prices by Energy Type (1970 - 2000)

As with any commodity, the abundance and availability of energy source determines its price in the free market. With over 275 billion tons of recoverable reserves (a 250 year supply at current use levels) and approximately 1,400 operating mines, coal in the United States is clearly both abundant and readily available. As a result, its price remains low in relation to other fuel and energy sources.

Courtesy of Energy Information Administration

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Known Technologies

In addition to supply advantages, coal is also a desirable fuel because its production and use are well understood and the technology required to produce it and convert it into energy is constantly improving.

Prices By Energy Type

The fact that mines can produce a constant supply, and utilities (and other users) can forecast their use of coal well into the future, aids in providing stability to the market and helps lessen price volatility. Additionally, coal-mining techniques are well understood and are being continually enhanced.

Courtesy of Energy Information Administration

Coal Mining Productivity (1949 - 2004)

The stability offered by stable demand, improving efficiencies and decreasing costs of production adds to the solidity of supply. Together those factors ensure that pricing of coal remains stable when compared with other fuels that will often experience shortfalls in supply and price volatility.

Courtesy of Energy Information Administration

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Employee Well-Being

Another key reason for coal's stability and affordability is the productivity and safety of coal industry employees. By every standard, the welfare and productivity of coal industry employees has improved dramatically over the past several decades. As the figure below shows, over the past three decades employee productivity and overall production have increased dramatically, while injuries, time lost and fatalities have all decreased.

Productive employees, working in a safe environment will play a key role in ensuring abundant and affordable coal supplies.

MSHA - Injury Experience and Work-Time Data

Courtesy of Mine Safety and Health Administration

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Coal Reserves

Proved reserves of coal are generally taken to be those quantities that geological and engineering information indicates with reasonable certainly can be recovered in the future from known deposits under existing economic and operating conditions. Proved coal reserves are shown for anthracite and bituminous (including brown coal) and sub-bituminous and lignite. Data are measured in million tons.

The United States has more proven coal reserves than does the Mid-East have oil reserves. Simply put, we have more coal than they have oil. Let us use our coal to become more energy independent and secure.

Reserves-to-production (R/P) ratios are available by country and feature in the table of natural coal reserves and the charting tool. R/P ratios represent the length of time that those remaining reserves would last if production were to continue at the previous year's level. It is calculated by dividing remaining reserves at the end of the year by the production in that year.

Courtesy of Mine Safety and Health Administration

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Environmentally Sound

It is no secret that coal is an essential North American fuel. Coal provides over 50% of American energy and approximately 20% of Canadian energy and it does so at some of the energy industry's most competitive rates. Coal-fueled energy is an economic and abundant / secure domestic energy source.

Moving from its origins as a fuel source in the fires of ancient human civilizations, to its use in historic steam engines, to its current role in meeting the nation's electric power needs, advances in technology have repeatedly allowed coal to improve human living conditions. As electricity generation continues to employ better technology, moving conventional combustion-style burners, to increased levels of scrubbing and filtering flue gases, to using more efficient burners and higher steam pressures, as well as new coal-to-liquids and gasification technologies, the utility coal industry, government and academia are working together to ensure that environmental concerns about using coal are things of the past.

Since the 1970s coal use in North America has almost tripled. At the same time, our overall air quality has dramatically improved. The air that we breathe in North America is cleaner today than it has been in several decades.

However impressive that record may seem, it is no excuse to rest on one’s laurels and the process of improving technology and benefiting the environment is continuing. Many of the coal-fueled power plants that brought about current emissions reductions were designed decades ago. As they are retired and new coal-fueled power plants are brought on line, we will see an even more efficiency improvements and emissions reductions. In fact, coal technologies and the use of coal have progressed to a point where currently available coal-fired power plants can meet emissions requirements set for natural gas fired turbines.

We all need a world that's fit to live in. We also need affordable energy. Balancing the two needs is a matter of both ecology and economics. The coal industry has committed itself to blending ecology and economics to produce sustainable and affordable energy.

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It Just Makes Good Sense!

Whereas people in developing nations still often rely on open fires and physical effort to power their homes and drive their industry, people in developed countries rely on automation and electrical power. With electricity, we North Americans heat our homes, power our computers, charge our cell phones and operate our appliances. With it, we also power the production of a myriad of consumer products. The need for abundant, inexpensive electricity has become an essential aspect of the North American lifestyle.

Additionally, less expensive energy, that is supplied reliably, will allow industry to produce less expensive products. Those products can then be sold for less in the market, bringing prices down for end users.

Putting it more simply, lower energy costs benefit everyone by reducing our direct and indirect costs. Since we rely so heavily on electricity, it makes sense that when we can find less expensive energy sources, we will be able to meet our energy needs while freeing up our financial resources for other uses.

When considered in the context of fuel and energy costs, the economic case for using coal is easily supported. Relative to other fuels, coal is among the most abundant and the least expensive of any fuel source (whether considering fossil, renewable, nuclear, or others). By encouraging the use of coal, we avoid volatility in fuel and production costs and keep our electricity prices low.

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