The United States' transition away from coal energy has begun.

Permits for new coal plants are being denied and many that were in production are being abandoned. With the Energy Department forecasting a 22% increase in power usage in the next 20 years, it is obvious that the vast majority of this increased power will come from alternative sources. This is further evidenced by the $16.8 billion of stimulus allocated for renewable energy compared to the relatively paltry amount of $3.4 billion for clean coal technologies.

Chris Morrison of BNET Energy contends that it would be wise for environmentalists to allow the construction of new plants with better emission-control technologies on the condition that older plants with antiquated technology be closed. While it is true that new plants are considerably cleaner, the general consensus is that "clean coal" technology, which includes carbon capture and sequestration, will not be readily available for at least another decade. It would be more costly to build new plants that would have to be either shut down or overhauled completely in order to implement CCS technology after just ten years. Factor in the exorbitant expense of implementing carbon capture technology and the prospect of building a coal-fired plant becomes financial suicide.

Still, despite the block against new plants, very few existing coal-fired power plants that are in operation have been shut down. With over half of the nation's energy derived from these plants, it is easy to see why.

However, once laws are enacted that impose costly fines against coal producers for carbon dioxide emissions these existing coal factories will certainly begin to diminish. As renewable energy becomes more efficient and reliable the dwindling profits of the coal energy factories will be squeezed further by the new competition.

For better or worse, the transition has certainly begun.

Sources:
Companies rethink coal plants from USA Today.
Coal plants checked by enviro campaigns, costs from The Washington Post.
Cost is Chief Barrier to Clean Coal from The New York Times.
Time for Environmentalists to Compromise on Coal from BNET Energy.

They must either adapt or be be left behind according to West Virginina Senator Jay Rockefeller.  This directive was the result of Rockefeller's urging coal operators to support a bill he introduced for the development of renewable energy sources in West Virginia.

Read the details at West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

After surveying the massive coal ash spill in Tennessee, Senator Lamar Alexander recommends a faster transition into nuclear power and renewable energy sources.  However, Alexander concedes that coal must be the primary source of electrical energy for the near future.

Read the story at macon.com.

A new proposal under consideration by the coal industry would require those seeking mountaintop mining permits to undertake a renewable energy project.  The project must be ongoing throughout the duration of the mining operation and must also be of similar scope.

Read the story in The State Journal.