Abstract
As energy's relationship with climate change receives more attention, it is becoming increasingly relevant to compare the effects of different energy choices on land and water resources. The diversity of potential environmental impacts makes direct comparison difficult. This paper focuses on the impact of using coal for electricity, with and without carbon capture, on water resources in the United States. Current technology to reduce greenhouse and other atmospheric impacts from burning coal exists but is often energy intensive. This energy intensity means that more coal must be mined, transported, and burned. Coal use impacts water at many points in its lifecycle, including direct and indirect water use and pollution at the mine site and at the power plant. In the United States, data on coal power plants' water use are well established, while water impacts from upstream activities like mining and improper mine closure are more challenging to predict.
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