The Political Climate: an ongoing commentary on the NH Primary and Climate Change

According to Grist, coal looks to be an inevitable part of the future of energy in America.  Brian Beutler writes that “Two important hearings on Capitol Hill earlier this month strongly indicated that we’re stuck with coal — and a coal industry generously supported by the American taxpayer — for the foreseeable future.”

In his blog, “The Coal Nine Yards,” Beutler discusses how the industry could take shape in the coming years and how energy production from coal could largely impact carbon emissions and climate change. 

Beutler notes that there are two options for coal technology: carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and coal-to-liquid (CTL).  He explains that while CCS technology remains unproven and is estimated to be quite costly, it could potentially decrease carbon emissions substantially.  While CTL technology exists today, it is costly and is proven to increase carbon emissions.  Beutler states that it is “a filthy technology that’s likely to worsen global warming and could turn out to be the biggest boondoggle in the sordid history of energy subsidies.”

Beutler comments that coal’s “enormity makes unseating it unthinkable if not impossible. It may be an unwelcome hegemony, but it looks like we’re stuck with it for now.”  If coal is inevitably part of the future of American energy, our next president must look closely at its impact on climate change when developing a comprehensive plan to reduce carbon emissions.  The last thing we want is to take steps toward increasing carbon emissions and make the crisis worse. 

LCV’s Heat Is On project has a report on what the presidential candidates’ positions are on coal and other global warming related technologies.