Green Energy are we pis***g in the wind?

Question

Over the past three years, China has added each year new coal plants equivalent to Britain's entire electricity-generating capacity. India has approved eight "ultra mega" plants which will add nearly half again to its present generating capacity.

Elsewhere in Asia, Indonesia is cranking up its coal-fired power generation by 40 percent and Vietnam plans to quadruple electricity generation by 2020, almost all from coal according to a source at a European utility investing in Asian power.

In Africa, South Africa is suffering crippling power shortages and racing to build new coal-fired plants, using abundant indigenous supplies. Mozambique, Botswana and Nigeria all plan new coal plants.

Even in the oil-rich Middle East, the United Arab Emirates ordered the Gulf's first coal plant last month.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080805/tts-uk-climate-coal-ca02f96.html

Really are we just disadvantaging our selves as a nation?

Answer 1

Just the opposite, when the coal becomes scarce the other countries will be looking for cheaper alternatives. We will already be well on our way to being oil and coal free. The cost for electricity will increase in those countries and ours will remain stable.  

Answer 2

This effect has followed the 'modernisation' of the world like a wave - we have got over our love of fossil fuels and are beginning to see the wisdom of using renewable sources of energy. The 'younger' nations will eventually see the error of their ways, but whether it will be in time to save the planet, given the problems we have already caused in the West, is a moot point.

Meanwhile, every little thing we do individually will eventually build into a large and perceivable change. Hang in there!

Answer 3

You don't have to be brilliant at mathematics to figure out there's not enough coal to support this kind of expansion over a significant period of time.

The only way the UAE is going to invest in coal power is if the price of oil keeps rising which is quite frightening. (Sell the oil to buy the coal and make a profit or it isn't worth doing.)

Green energy isn't going to meet demand so it's up to the government to start investing in nuclear and make it a national asset, not some private investors cash cow.

Answer 4

thank God the USA has lots of coal....we can trade it for chinese made toys.

Answer 5

China also has really bad pollution problems, right now they are more concerned with raising their standard of living than with the environment but for a developed country that kind of pollution would really do some damage to the health system (which would have to treat people).

The developed world needs to switch to nuclear power and also needs to help the developing world move towards nuclear power as well (so that they don't have to burn coal).

BTW: Those who think coal is going to run out soon are very much wrong there's a lot of the stuff left (and that's the problem, if it were running out there'd be no one building new coal power plants).

Answer 6

exxactly!!!