The first time I looked up where our electricity comes from in the United States I was shocked to learn that coal accounts for the large majority of it. Being from the Pacific Northwest spoiled with relatively inexpensive and clean hydro power, discovering that coal accounts for 39 percent of total U.S. electricity generation, second to natural gas at 27 percent, and nuclear power at 19 percent, was a
real wake up call.
The United States has some of the largest coal resources in the world, second only to China, and burns hundreds of millions of tons every year to supply electricity to millions of homes and buildings. Burning coal to heat water to make steam to turn generators to make electricity is not very efficient. Mining coal damages the environment in two ways; there is the physical damage to the Earth during mining operations (mostly through strip mining), and also the climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions that occur during combustion. As dirty as it is, coal is abundant and (for the time being) economically viable energy source. Proven coal reserves in the United States ensure coal’s place in the electricity generating market well beyond a hundred years.