No more cheap reliable coal fired generation in AB.

[furrowtickler]

Is it still ok for BC to mine and haul out coal by the ship load ?

[ALBERTAFARMER4]

Is it still ok for BC to mine and haul out coal by the ship load ?

Yes because that coal is used to make steel.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Yes because that coal is used to make steel.

And nature can tell the difference between the CO2 released from coking coal making steel, from the CO2 released from thermal coal making electricity. Only the latter causes catastrophic global warming, of course
It's the same theory about how burning fossil fuels to power an electric vehicle doesn't release any CO2 as opposed to burning fossil fuel directly in an internal combustion engine.

[furrowtickler]

And nature can tell the difference between the CO2 released from coking coal making steel, from the CO2 released from thermal coal making electricity. Only the latter causes catastrophic global warming, of course
It's the same theory about how burning fossil fuels to power an electric vehicle is better than burning fossil fuel in them internal combustion engine.

Kinda shows this is a race for your energy dollar and not about the climate

[ALBERTAFARMER4]

And nature can tell the difference between the CO2 released from coking coal making steel, from the CO2 released from thermal coal making electricity. Only the latter causes catastrophic global warming, of course
It's the same theory about how burning fossil fuels to power an electric vehicle is better than burning fossil fuel in them internal combustion engine.

No but there are probably 10 different ways to make electricity and only 1 way to make steel.
Also if you can show me the math that says burning fossil fuels to power an electric vehicle isn't better than using fossil fuels in an ICE, I'd like to see it. These are 2 of the dirtiest grids in Canada...





It's hard to see because this website is awful for posting pictures..
Nova Scotia grid (50% coal) on an EV is 8.62kg CO2/100km vs 17.3kg CO2/100km ICE
NWT grid (57% diesel) on an EV is 2.37kg CO2/100km vs 17.3kg CO2/100km ICE

[AlbertaFarmer5]

AB4, there are a lot of efficiencies to be gained by burning fossil fuels in a central location and using all electric powertrains versus in a car engine, and mechanical powertrains

But if your chart is to be believed. Then taking into account the roughly 40% hydro and solar in Northwest Territories, burning diesel fuel in a diesel generator, transmitting that energy, charging and discharging etc is about four and a half times more efficient than burning gasoline in a car directly.
So, unless Northwest Territories has installed carbon capture on every one of their diesel generators, I think we need to question that statistic as presented.
And as if we have discussed multiple times on here, solar should not be considered in the energy mix that powers the average commuters electric vehicle. They will be charged at home at night in the dark.

[Hamloc]

Why is coal better than natural gas?

Historically in Alberta coal generating plants were built close to their source of coal. Therefore they had a captive fuel source that was less susceptible to world prices allowing for more consistent pricing. Natural gas on the other hand is subject to the world market. My brother in law who is Australian talked about how much natural gas costs went up in Australia when they started exporting LNG. World demand for natural gas will eventually do the same in Canada as we are seeing now. European governments infatuation with Chinese manufactured solar panels, so called green energy, illustrate how this push for renewable energy has increased electricity costs and increased dependency on natural gas to keep the lights on when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Russia and China have benefitted from this short sighted policy direction.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

No but there are probably 10 different ways to make electricity and only 1 way to make steel.

Actually, there are other ways to make steel. There have been some pilot projects, and even production scale facilities trying to fabricate so-called green steel. With no, or low emissions. So far, they have been spectacularly expensive and upractical.
Almost reminds me green energy...

[AlbertaFarmer5]

No but there are probably 10 different ways to make electricity and only 1 way to make steel.
Also if you can show me the math that says burning fossil fuels to power an electric vehicle isn't better than using fossil fuels in an ICE, I'd like to see it. These are 2 of the dirtiest grids in Canada...

Better was a poor choice of words, I edited it accordingly.
If the only definition of better, is by measuring which emits less plant fertilizer, then this is a meaningless meaure.

Better, should measure which has the smallest environmental impact(full life cycle), which is the most economical ( full life cycle), most reliable( let me know how the EV's charged by solar, in NWT are working out, a hint, there is not waste heat from an ICE in those conditions, it keeps the passengers from freezing to death), most sustainable( which is in shorter supply right now, rare earths, or coal?), and which has an existing infrastructure in place( the CO2 footprint of building generation, transmission, and charging infrastructure needs to be included).

[ALBERTAFARMER4]

Better was a poor choice of words, I edited it accordingly.
If the only definition of better, is by measuring which emits less plant fertilizer, then this is a meaningless meaure.

Better, should measure which has the smallest environmental impact(full life cycle), which is the most economical ( full life cycle), most reliable( let me know how the EV's charged by solar, in NWT are working out, a hint, there is not waste heat from an ICE in those conditions, it keeps the passengers from freezing to death), most sustainable( which is in shorter supply right now, rare earths, or coal?), and which has an existing infrastructure in place( the CO2 footprint of building generation, transmission, and charging infrastructure needs to be included).

If you look at it from a physics standpoint a litre of gasoline is 8.9 kWh. So if you have a gasoline vehicle and an EV with equal amounts of energy (1L in the ICE and 8.9 kWh in the EV) which one would travel the most distance?

Volkswagen Jetta 2022 gasser 6L/100km 1L =16.67km
Tesla model 3 standard range 146wh/km = 60.95km

So why would the one that goes less than 1/3 the distance on the same amount of energy be better for the environment?