Coal-based Economy Research Articles

Exploring the role of coal consumption, solar, and wind power generation on ecological footprint: evidence from India using Fourier ADL cointegration test.

The transition to renewable energy sources has been identified as crucial to combating climate change on a global scale. India's future energy vision is becoming increasingly focused on renewable markets, particularly solar and wind power, which would improve energy efficiency and allow the country to shift from a coal-based economy to a renewable-based economy by 2030. In this context, the present study intends to investigate the impact of India's considerable investments in solar and wind power plants on mitigating environmental degradation by reducing reliance on coal-fired power. To this end, this study adopts the Fourier Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ADL) cointegration test and Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) to assess the relationship between coal consumption, solar power, wind power, and ecological footprint in India using data from 1995 to 2018. The empirical results show that solar and wind power are significant and negatively related to ecological footprint, indicating that they lessen the environmental degradation. However, coal consumption is significant and positively related to ecological footprint. The study findings confirm the constructive role of solar and wind power in mitigating environmental degradation that is caused by the domination of coal-fired power generation in India, and solar and wind power are cleaner alternatives to replace coal-fired power.

Back side of the coin: How does non-fossil energy diffusion result in less efficient fossil-based technologies

Non-fossil energy increases the non-dispatchability of power system, requiring fossil-based technologies to provide back-up capacity as dispatchable source. In a coal-based economy like China, it is coal-fired units that act as back-up capacity. This paper shows that increase of non-fossil energy generation is associated with higher heat rates of coal-fired units, which can be explained by the decreased operating hours for dispatching. This side-effect is sizeable, accounting for 13% of carbon mitigation from non-fossil energy. The extra fuel cost is estimated to be 10.9 billion US dollars. This paper thus calls attention to alternative technologies, such as large-scale storage, as dispatchable source.

Caught in between and in transit: forced and encouraged (im)mobilities during the Covid-19 pandemic in Longyearbyen, Svalbard

ABSTRACT When Europe shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, Longyearbyen, the main settlement of Svalbard, was moving from a coal-based economy to one based on science and tourism. The remote location of the Svalbard archipelago in the High Arctic makes it an isolated, secure haven from the chaos worldwide. But this renders its population vulnerable should the virus come since there are neither facilities to care for the sick nor other nearby communities to help in case of need. Svalbard, with its special territorial status, is in a unique geopolitical situation where people are free to come and go. Longyearbyen is an inherently transient space with a highly mobile population. Based on interview narratives of participants’ lived experiences in Longyearbyen during the pandemic (both in-person and online), this paper explores how forced and encouraged (im)mobilities impacted their individual life choices during the pandemic. Participants’ stories revealed systemic inequalities and vulnerabilities in Longyearbyen that were heightened and exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. By combining minor theory with politics of mobility, this paper aims to add to the discussion within mobilities studies on how the personal, emotional responses to these situations are linked to decisions about mobility.

The place of Śląskie Voivodeship (Poland) in the greening space of flows

The study assess the position of the Śląskie Voivodeship in the European space of flows. The main objectives are: (1) to examine the regional position in the interregional space of flows, and (2) to assess this position in terms of the decarbonisation processes planned under the European Green Deal policy. In order to do this, the strengths and weaknesses of the region were identified, the flows potentially vulnerable to the restructuring process of the region’s coal-based economy were recognised, and the extent and scale of the impact of decarbonisation on the region’s economic situation was determined. An analysis of indicators such as intensity and concentration of flows places the region on the flow periphery, as the most significant flows are concentrated in Western and Northern Europe. One exception to this pattern is the transport of goods when measured in tonnes, which makes the region an important hub on a European scale. However, the most intensive flows link it with other Polish regions. Moreover the specificity of the Śląskie Voivodeship means that any effects of the European Green Deal will be particularly strongly felt, as it is among the regions experiencing the greatest negative impact of this policy on the economy and labour market.

Case study of the energy transition: Pueblo, Colorado

Pueblo, Colorado is undergoing a major transformation towards becoming a clean energy hub, with lessons for the whole country. The transition began as the community started to move away from its steel- and coal-based economy to found jobs and economic salvation in a diversified industry. We consider the evolution of the city’s relationship with energy and manufacturing, and conclude with some lessons learned about partnership, government engagement, utility collaboration, and energy transition leadership.

Building with History: Exploring the Relationship between Heritage and Energy in Institutionally Managed Buildings

Drawing on interdisciplinary research focusing on Durham University estate, we describe how buildings constructed as part of an eighteenth century transition to a high carbon coal-based economy, are used and understood by their current inhabitants. Applied heritage research has tended to focus on the thermal and energetic properties of historic buildings, as distinct from their social meaning and use. A similar separation between the physical building and its social use is inherent in methodologies such as energy audits that constitute key devices through which buildings are institutionally managed. We argue that these perspectives have overlooked how a significant element of energy use arises from the complex practical interactions between people and infrastructure. From this perspective we argue that better outcomes for energy and heritage would result if greater contextual consideration was given to the existing possibilities afforded by historic buildings and their users.

An Update on the South African Pilot CO2 Storage Project

South Africa is reliant on fossil fuels. These fossil fuels are important to economic development, being the most dependable, cost-effective energy source currently available in this country however, their conventional use results in significant CO2 emissions for the country. South Africa will require a portfolio of technologies to reduce its CO2 emissions however with a heavily coal-based economy, CCS is likely to be a particularly important part of this portfolio. To assess the technical potential for CCS in South Africa, the South African Centre for Carbon Capture and Storage (SACCCS) was established in 2009 as a public-private research collaboration. The current focus of SACCCS is the development of the Pilot CO2 Storage Project (PCSP) which will inject and store between 10-50,000tCO2 in South African conditions. With the development of the PCSP now underway, there has been significant progress to date, in particular in the areas of funding, permitting and stakeholder engagement where around USD 50 million has been raised for the project, a request for approval for basin exploration submitted, and a significant number of stakeholders engaged. There have however also been some delays with the development of the PCSP, particularly following the PCSP Advisory Committee (PAC) review of geological analysis done to date for the Zululand and Algoa Basins. The PAC recommended that more information could yet be extracted from the existing data prior to deciding whether or not to progress to the acquisition of new geological data (Gate 2 Review). SAC CCS is now working on the implementation of the PAC Review recommendations and the development of Gate 2 Deliverables in preparation for the Gate 2 Review.

A $70/tCO2 greenhouse gas mitigation backstop for China's industrial and electric power sectors: Insights from a comprehensive CCS cost curve

As one of the world's fastest growing economies with abundant coal reserves, China's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have doubled in the last decade and are expected to continue growing for the foreseeable future. While the Central Government has been promoting development and growth of cleaner and more efficient energy systems, efforts to reduce carbon emissions from the heavily coal-based economy may require continued and increased development and deployment of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technologies. This paper presents the first detailed, national-scale assessment of CCS potential across the diverse geographic, geologic, and industrial landscape of China, through the lens of an integrated CCS cost curve. It summarizes the development of a cost curve representing the full chain of components necessary for the capture and geologic storage of CO2 from China's power generation and industrial sectors. Individual component cost estimates are described, along with the optimized source–sink matching of over 1600 large stationary CO2 sources and 2300gigatons of CO2 storage capacity within 90 major deep geologic onshore sedimentary sub-basins, to develop a cost curve incorporating CO2 capture, compression, transport, and storage. Results suggest that CCS can provide an important greenhouse gas mitigation option for most regions and industrial sectors in China, able to store more than 80% of emissions from these large CO2 sources (2900million tons of CO2 annually) at costs less than $70/tCO2 for perhaps a century or more.

Bang for the Buck

This article focuses on the need to develop alternatives to fossil fuels for present-day and future energy systems. The direction of energy research ought to be toward material science that can extend the life and lower the cost of renewable energy systems, rather than toward highly theoretical analyses that have over-the-horizon payoffs. Additionally, the planning for a smooth transition from fossil based to sustainable energy must include a side-by-side analysis of the economics as well as the energy return on energy investment (EROI) of each potential system. The EROI analysis would ensure the long-term viability of the technology, and the commercial analysis would show how much the system will cost and, thereby, provide an estimate of the money required for the installation in the transition period. The transition from the oil- and coal-based economy to a sustainably based future is not expected to be easy; however, taking advantage of the low-hanging fruit of conservation and energy efficiency will make that transition easier and much less painful.

Response to “From a hard place to a rock: Questioning the energy security of a coal-based economy”

We would like to thank Sovacool et al. for engaging our recent work, however, we feel their criticisms are primarily directed at the claims of carbon capture and storage technology, which was not addressed in our analysis. The intent of our original analysis was to provide a systematic approach to judge the most efficient use of coal resources as a method for addressing the problem of foreign oil dependence. We have attempted to separate this discussion involving the most effective use of a resource from a discussion of the desirability of using the resource at all, which we feel is a separate issue.

From a hard place to a rock: Questioning the energy security of a coal-based economy

We thank Brathwaite et al. for starting a very useful debate about what role, if any, coal should play in future energy transitions. Expanding upon their piece, we question that a coal-based economy, in which energy production for both electricity and transport comes from coal, can meet the energy security needs of the United States and other countries.

Maximizing efficiency in the transition to a coal-based economy

Energy is the lynchpin of modern society. Since the early 1970s, growing dependence on foreign energy sources, oil in particular, has constrained US independence in foreign policy, and at times, inhibited economic stability and growth. Addressing oil dependence is politically and economically complex. Proposed solutions are multifaceted with various objectives such as energy efficiency and resource substitution. One solution is the partial transition from an oil- to coal-based economy. A number of facts support this solution including vast coal reserves in the US and the relative price stability of coal. However, several roadblocks exist. These include uncertain recoverable reserves and the immaturity of “clean” coal technologies. This paper provides a first order analysis of the most efficient use of coal assuming the transition from oil to coal is desirable. Scenario analysis indicates two possible transition pathways: (1) bring the transportation sector onto the electric grid and (2) use coal-to-liquid fuels to directly power vehicles. The feasibility of each pathway is examined based on economic and environmental factors, among which are energy availability, affordability and efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Results indicate that partial transition of the transportation sector onto the electric grid offers the more viable solution for coal-based reduction of the US oil dependence.