Coal
Coal is a solid, carbon-heavy rock that comes in four main varieties differentiated largely by carbon content: lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite. Nearly all of the coal burned in the United States is sub-bituminous or bituminous. Found in abundance in states including Wyoming, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, these coal types are middle of the pack in terms of carbon content and the heat energy they can produce. Regardless of variety, however, all coal is dirty. Indeed, in terms of emissions, it’s the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel we can burn.
Coal is extracted via two methods: Underground mining uses heavy machinery to cut coal from deep underground deposits, while surface mining (also known as strip mining) removes entire layers of soil and rock to access coal deposits below. Strip mining accounts for about two-thirds of coal sourced in the United States. Although both forms of mining are detrimental to the environment, strip mining is particularly destructive, uprooting and polluting entire ecosystems.
Coal and the power plants that burn it account for less than a third of U.S. electricity generation, down from more than half in 2008. Cleaner, cheaper alternatives—including natural gas, renewables like solar and wind, and energy-efficient technologies—make coal far less economically attractive. Today, coal-fired power plants continue to close, despite the Trump administration’s promises of a revived industry. Future demand for coal is expected to remain flat or to fall as market forces propel alternative energy sources forward.
.
net als de koolwinning zijn hirshi's opmerkingen nogal oppervlakkig.