Did you know that a large proportion of the world’s electrical power is derived from burning the fossil fuel coal? And that it is more than likely one of the leading sources of the gases in the atmosphere that are causing climate change (aka greenhouse gases).
It can be difficult to envision that each time you turn on a kitchen appliance that you are actually in part responsible for the release of contaminants into the air, but in reality that is exactly what is actually taking place.
Estimations vary, but in the United states approximately half of the electrical energy produced is from coal burning. In China, the worlds most populous nation, coal comprises over three quarters of the country’s energy consumption.
Coal is burned to create high temperatures, and then the heat is utilized to turn water into steam. This vapor is put under pressure and forced through turbines, making the turbines rotate. It’s the rotating of the turbines that produces the electrical energy.
Even though there are other sources of heat for steam (eg. nuclear, geothermal power, and natural gas amongst others) coal is by a long shot the most popular energy source employed.
The burning of coal releases a number of greenhouse gases and also some other polluting particulates into the air. Amongst the air-borne pollutants emitted are:
- CO2 - the biggest reason for global warming,
- SO2 (Sulphur Dioxide) - which causes acid rain when mixed with water,
- Nitrogen Oxide - a significant contributor to smog
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) - a toxin which can be fatal (CO2 is also found in car exhausts)
- hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds
- deadly metals for instance mercury
- uranium and lead
Electricity firms, like any other business, react to demand from customers. When there is a demand from customers for electrical power then somebody will make big dollars by delivering it! And while burning coal is one of the cheapest techniques to generate electricity, then it will remain in use.
Consequently, in a quite genuine sense, every single occasion you turn on your microwave oven or light switch, somewhere there will certainly be coal being combusted to generate that electricity.
At this time there are various renewable sources of electric power that are beginning to become more commonplace. Wind energy, solar energy and now even wave energy are being utilized and turned into electrical energy. In the superior scientific age we live in almost any variety of energy can be transformed into electrical power.
And with developments in know-how it means that harnessing this natural energy for your own private use is becoming much more achievable. In fact plenty of folk are looking to go off-grid, develop their very own electrical power and accordingly lower the need for electricity produced through burning coal.
Wind energy is one of the most easily captured sources of energy. Simple home wind generators can be built for only a couple of hundred dollars.
Take a look at this really great article about home wind generators.