4 Pros and Cons of Coal Power

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4 Pros and Cons of Coal Power

Coal power or thermal power is still the most prevalent source of energy in the world. We are making steadfast progress in renewable solar and wind energy but they comprise only a fraction of the total energy requirement of the world. Coal power has several advantages and a few disadvantages. It has been heavily criticized of its impact on the environment. Coal power is held as a major contributor to pollution, global warming and greenhouse gases. Let us explore the coal power pros and cons in detail.

List of Pros of Coal Power

1. It is Cheap
Coal power is the most affordable source of energy in the world. It is true that solar energy is free, so is wind energy and even geothermal or hydropower don’t have any major recurring costs as the sun, wind, earth’s temperature and flow of water will power the setups and also provide energy. Barring the cost of maintenance, the renewable and natural energy sources don’t really cost much. However, the cost of setting up the infrastructure is so huge that coal power pales in comparison. From mining coal to producing it and then transmitting the power to the grids, everything boils down to a very small per unit cost.

2. Abundance of Coal
Coal is a non-renewable source of power. There will be a day when the earth will run out of coal. However, we haven’t even got close to exploring all the coal in the world. Environmentalists are rightly concerned about the environment but saying that we would run out of coal is just being alarmist. Coal is one of the most abundant natural resources. Many countries in the world have not even used 1% of their coal reserves and it would literally take hundreds and thousands of years for them to exhaust their reserves. In any case, coal power is not the sole energy source right now. Nuclear energy does complement it to a noticeable extent.

List of Cons of Coal Power

1. Environmental Impact
The environmental impact of coal power cannot be undermined. Coal is burned to produce power. This emits toxic smoke and a plethora of harmful gases. Coal power has been increasing the mean temperature across the world. It is one of the biggest contributors of global warming.

2. Ecological Impact
Wherever coal is mined, there is an ecological imbalance. The mines are explored and coal is extracted. There remains a void which doesn’t get filled overnight or even over a hundred years.