One is amazed what comes to light with research on controversial issues of the day. Most Albertans are aware how overblown the environmental impacts of oilsands and pipelines are portrayed by anti-oil lobby groups. One recalls over the top statements that the oilsands are the greatest emissions source in the world and threatens the very existence of the planet. How that is possible with only 1/1000th share of actual global emissions boggles the mind.
In agriculture we are bombarded with outlandish allegations about GMOs, hormones and pesticides that upon common sense reflection are not the threat opponents fearmonger about. But that matters little in the twisted world of political correctness where ulterior motives and political expediency are the real drivers of issues. So it seems for coal and its use in generating electricity around the world. It's a particular issue in Alberta where 50% of our electrical power comes from coal-fired power plants. On the surface that appears bad in the face of the trend against using coal because of the perceived emissions the burning process produces. But therein lies the contradiction – coal can produce much harmful emissions – but not all coal plants. By accident or design that reality is ignored by the general public and certainly by lobby groups. Its one of those inconvenient truths.
The coal industry does have an image problem that it can't shake and which lobby groups exploit endlessly. We are familiar with dark images of belching smokestacks spewing out tons of emissions from burning coal. We recall smog fogs that caused thousands of deaths from respiratory ailments – no one denies that – but that happened 40 years ago and continues in other places like China. That is not the situation in present day Alberta. Environment Canada has stated that when it comes to particulate emissions in Alberta - its wildfires, agriculture, fireplaces, road dust and construction that each by themselves produce more emissions than our coal-fired plants. One ponders then why are coal fired power plants being so demonized. Would not outlawing fireplaces and putting restrictions on emissions from those other more polluting sources be more effective than closing down coal plants. Probably - but no one is aware of the extent of those other emission sources nor are they as politically trendy as attacking coal plants.
The green lobby industry claims that electricity from coal-fired plants can be replaced by power from wind and solar. That's true in theory – but Alberta would have to cover thousands if not millions of acres with windmills and solar panels to replace the present output of coal-fired plants. The other annoying reality is that windmills are only 30% efficient and require extensive backup by coal or natural gas power plants. Because of that inefficiency and the required backup – consumers will see their power rates double as experienced in Ontario and much of Western Europe. Hydro-electric power can be bought from BC as a backup – but that means competing with California who is prepared to pay any price for BC power with US dollars. There is something of a bright side to the phase out of coal-fired plants, they are being replaced by natural gas fired plants. That's good for our energy industry and keeps the money in Alberta.
But none of those new plants come cheap and natural gas prices can be volatile and could increase as more plants come on stream. Coal prices, particularly for thermal use, are remarkably cheap and stable as power companies own coal mines. Consumers should remember that as electricity prices steadily increase due to the phase-out over the next few years.
What most citizens don't know is that Alberta coal power plants have some of the lowest emission levels in the world thanks to coal burning research done by a government agency and the University of Alberta. All that valuable research is now lost as the province and the rest of Canada phases out coal plants. Ironically it isn't lost on decision makers in Germany; they are using such emission reducing technology in constructing new coal-fired plants in their country. After years of developing renewable power and closing down their nuclear and old coal-fired plants, Germany found itself having to buy and rely on electricity imports – making their power some of the most expensive in Europe. I would suggest they learned a costly lesson and found that coal-fired plants are not as demonic as they are alleged to be – I have no doubt that's a costly lesson we will have to learn in Alberta