When it was running, Conesville Station in Ohio produced 2.2GW of thermal coal power. The facilities itself occupied 2500 acres (not all of that was building, most was green space) with another 7500 acres of green space (forest) surrounding the plant. 24/7/365.
It closed because the equipment was aging, regulations were against it, and it couldn't clear the PJM interconnect auctions.
Proves my point. Granted I'm not a huge proponent of coal because the ash is dangerous, but the point remains
Coal certainly had it's problems - there's really no way to burn it cleanly. That's what nuclear is for.
I'll have to find the video later tonight when I have a bit of time. There's a college physicist who explains a lot of these energy things for laypeople. His college operates a clean coal plant. It's pretty amazing to see how clean we can get them. Granted at that level the cost competitive nature goes downhill, but still, I'd trust domestic coal over other forms of nondomestic
In the US coal plants require ash capture. This removes the bulk of the radioactive material. What is emitted is basically background levels. Coal is reasonably safe these days.
Obviously nuclear expansion must continue and these "green"-anti-green technologies must be out. They are scams.
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