In the Rubble: The True Costs of Coal

At the end of this unit, you will know:
- How coal is formed and its importance as a global energy source.
- Methods of extracting coal and their advantages and disadvantages.
- Advantages and disadvantages to burning coal to make electricity.
- The role of technology in reducing the environmental impacts of coal.

Definition: The energy contained in natural resources like coal, oil, sunlight, wind, enriched uranium, etc.
For primary energy sources to be useful, they must be converted to secondary energy sources (electricity, gasoline, diesel, heat, etc.).
Different primary energy sources lead to various secondary energy forms.

Energy is lost with each conversion step, meaning no source of energy is 100% efficient.
Various energy sources have different efficiencies.

Production: The secondary energy harvested over a specific period from a common primary energy source.
Consumption: The amount of secondary energy used over a specific period.
Note: Global consumption roughly equals production, but regional values often differ.

Reserves-to-Production (R/P) Ratio: Proved reserves of a primary energy source divided by the period's level of production. This ratio serves as an estimate of how long a source of primary energy will last based on current production levels.
Energy Return on Investment (EROI): A measure of energy efficiency; it indicates the amount of energy required to produce a known return.
- An EROI of 1 means the energy obtained is equal to the energy invested.
- Question posed: What energy source may have the highest EROI?

Americans used approximately 10.7 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day in the first half of 2025.
Average household energy consumption is around 28-30 kWh per day.
Coal accounts for about 15.2% of the energy consumed in the U.S., which falls behind other primary sources.
The United States consumes the most electricity per capita globally.

Definition: Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from the remains of organisms that died millions of years ago, mainly marine organisms. The three primary fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas.
Non-Renewable Nature: All fossil fuels are considered non-renewable because they form much more slowly than they are consumed.

Coal Mining in Wyoming and Montana

Detail: The Powder River Basin has the largest coal deposits in the U.S. (41% of national total).
Predominant methods of extraction are strip mining and mountaintop removal.

Coal Mining in Appalachia

Detail: Appalachian Region is the second-largest coal deposit in the U.S. (27%).
Coal is primarily obtained through surface mining, including mountaintop removal.
Significant environmental impact: Nearly 1 million acres of forested land destroyed across Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee.
- Example: Hobet 21 Mine.

Coal is a widespread, abundant fossil fuel supplying 33% of global electricity and 15.2% in the United States.
Efficiency: 1 pound of coal powers an energy-efficient refrigerator for 20 hours.
Annual U.S. coal usage is approximately 1 billion tons, averaging 3,000 lbs. per person per year.
EROI for Coal: Ranges from 40-80:1, being one of the most efficient fossil fuels for electricity generation.
Current estimated R/P ratio: 114 years.

Mountaintop Removal:
- Process includes clear-cutting forests and blasting rock to expose coal seams. The overburden is pushed into neighboring valleys, destroying habitats.
- Statistic: One ton of extracted coal yields about seven tons of overburden.
Strip Mining:
- Used for coal seams near the surface on flat land, involves clearing the surface, excavating coal, and replacing overburden afterward.
Subsurface Mining:
- Workers access coal through narrow mine shafts. This method is used by 60% of the world's mines.
- Acid Mine Drainage: Water that seeps into the mine carries toxins from surrounding rock, causing long-term contamination.

Coal Dust:
- Higher incidents of black lung disease found in miners; 525 miners died from this in 2007 compared to only 18 from accidents.
Explosions and Mine Collapse: Methane gas and coal dust can cause deadly explosions. Notable incident: Upper Big Branch mine explosion killed 29 miners in 2010.
Fire: Underground coal mine fires can persist for decades, such as the fire in Pennsylvania ongoing since 1962, causing a town to be evacuated.
Toxic Fumes: A tragic incident in 2006 resulted in twelve miners dying from carbon monoxide poisoning in West Virginia.

Habitat Loss and Biodiversity Decline: Mountaintop removal demolishes vast areas of ecology, with impacts on over 200 species.
The EPA reported elevated levels of selenium in 87% of streams located downstream from mountaintop removal sites.
Environmental degradation includes increased flooding and respiratory illnesses in impacted communities.
Documented events include the 2008 coal ash spill in Tennessee, displacing residents and causing environmental destruction.

Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS): A potential solution for reducing pollution involves capturing CO2 emissions before they are released into the atmosphere.
Clean Coal Technology: Involves removing toxic compounds through scrubbers before releasing gases into the atmosphere.

Reclamation: The process of restoring mined areas to a state approaching pre-mining conditions, often proving challenging.
- Example: In Hobet-21, re-colonization of vegetation is hindered due to contaminated soil.