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Coal fired power plants burn coal in a boiler to produce steam. The steam produced, under pressure, flows into a turbine, which spins a generator to create electricity. The steam is then cooled, condensed back into water and returned to the boiler to start the process over.
There are many benefits to power plants fueled by coal, including affordability, reliability, ease of operation, and controllability.
Compared to other leading alternatives, it is cheaper to come by coal. This is also reflected in the amount of power that coal generates.
When compared to solar power or wind energy, coal is a reliable, predictable, and dependable fuel.
Extracting the heat output from coal rather than deriving electricity from hydro sources or nuclear energy is easier. All you have to do is place the coal in a reaction chamber, and that's it! This makes it a faster and more convenient way of generating electrical output. This also means that the societies that handle and use coal for power generation operate at a cheaper advantage since it does not require a high amount of expertise to operate.
You can vary the rate of the heat output to measure up to demand with coal. The same can not be said with other forms of energy since you can't control the rate of hydropower output, wind, or solar. Using them makes you have to rely on their highest energy output but if they don't output enough energy, you can't do anything.
Though there are many benefits to using coal-fired power plants, there are also several drawbacks regarding destruction, limitations, danger, and toxicity.
A majority of coal reserves are located deep underground, and accessing them is incredibly difficult. To access these reserves would involve clearing large geographic regions, including deforestation. Coal mining destroys natural habitats, not only through deforestation and mountaintop removal, but also by contaminating the surrounding land and waterways. This can harm or kill plants and animals which can disrupt entire ecosystems. Coal mining can also cause coal-seam fires, when outcrops or underground coal seams catch fire. As they burn, these flames emit gases that contaminates air, can pollute waterways, and poison lands and habitats. These fires are devastating to the environment and can be almost impossible to put out. An example of this is the Centralia mine in Pennsylvania has been burning for more than 50 years.
We consume coal like it is available in limitless supply, but this is far from the case. Like other fossil fuels, coal is a non-renewable resource and will eventually run out if we don’t limit our consumption. Right now, we burn coal at hugely non-sustainable rates. If we continue to burn coal at our current rate, it is predicted that we will run out of known reserves by 2060. If our dependence on coal is not replaced with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, we could literally run out of power.
Mining and burning coal is not only extremely dangerous for the environment, but removing it from the earth is incredibly dangerous for miners. Miners are exposed to all kinds of toxic fumes and dust, and are at risk of many of serious conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumoconiosis, commonly known as black lung. Accidents related to mining are also relatively common and can be deadly. In 2019, there were 24 fatal mining accidents in the US alone, 11 of which were coal miners.
When coal has been mined and burnt, it generates huge quantities of toxic waste called coal ash. Coal plants across the US generate more than 100 million tons of toxic waste every year. This waste needs to go somewhere, so its stored in pits across the country. This ash is even more radioactive than waste produced by nuclear power plants. Research shows that living near a coal ash pit is worse for a child’s health than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
Most of the coal-fired power plants in South Carolina lie more on the Southeast side of the state (bottom corner). Specifically, there are several near the east coast in Berkeley County.
Gaille, L. (2017, August 23). 13 Pros and Cons of Coal Energy. Vittana. Retrieved March 15, 2023 from https://vittana.org/13-pros-and-cons-of-coal-energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration (n.d.). South Carolina State Energy Profile. Retrieved March 15, 2023 from https://www.eia.gov/state/print.php?sid=SC
Walter Science School (2018, June 8). A Coal-Fired Thermoelectric Power Plant. Retrieved March 15, 2023 from https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/coal-fired-thermoelectric-power-plant