The problem with coal

Burning coal to produce electricity has serious impacts on human health, air, climate and wildlife:

Coal is a major threat to our climate as coal-fired power plants produce 8,500 tonnes of greenhouse gases per megawatt of electricity. Just one 150-megawatt plant will produce 1,275,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year, which is the same as the emissions of more than 300,000 cars.

Coal-fired power is the leading source of mercury emissions in North America, affecting human health, fish and wildlife. Fish may have thousands of times more mercury in their systems than is found in the surrounding water due to bioaccumulation. Wildlife species reliant on fish, such as eagles and osprey, also have high levels of mercury.

Methyl mercury is known to affect learning ability and neuro-development in children. In Canada, methyl mercury poisoning is the cause of 90 to 95 per cent of all advisories warning against fish consumption.

Burning coal also produces large quantities of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. The federal government recently declared respirable particulate matter to be a toxic substance because it can cause breathing and respiratory problems, irritation, inflammation and damage to the lungs and premature death.

Sulphur dioxide in the air can also form into sulphuric acid and mix with rain or snow, creating acid rain. Acid rain can have drastic ecological impacts on lakes by changing the water's acidity, making the lake uninhabitable for its resident fish, plants and animals.

The federal government introduced new automobile standards in January which will see nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from automobiles fall more than 75 per cent by 2008. Compared to today’s allowable automobile NOx emissions, one new 150-megawatt coal plant will be allowed to emit the equivalent of 561,000 new cars. In terms of the new standards set for 2008, a new plant will emit the equivalent of two million new vehicles.

All over the world, jurisdictions are attempting to phase out coal because of its contribution to air pollution. The Ontario government and even developing nations such as China are working to phase out coal powered electricity.

The head of BC Hydro, Larry Bell, recently stated that the cheapest and most environmentally friendly way to get more power is to encourage efficiency and conservation. Hydro is committed to acquiring 30 per cent of its new electricity supply from conservation and efficiency during the next 10 years. This represents enough energy to power 350,000 homes each year. Coal-fired power is not needed as we develop conservation policies and renewable energy sources.

Coal bed methane

Coal bed methane (CBM) is similar in composition to natural gas (ie. mostly methane) but it is found in and around coal seams. CBM is now being aggressively pursued in Canada as traditional supplies dwindle and demand for natural gas increases. The B.C. government is a strong advocate, offering significant tax breaks and a major policy encouragement now underway.

Because CBM is trapped within coal formations rather than in one underground pool, more wells and more infrastructure is needed to get it out, leading to greater surface impacts.
Large quantities of water – sometimes more than tens of thousands of litres per day – are first pumped from the coal seams in order to release the CBM. Pumping this much water (usually from many wells simultaneously) can deplete regional aquifers. The water, which may be contaminated, must then be released somewhere. Surface disposal is often permitted, which can be harmful because the water is often laden with salts and chemicals that damage vegetation.
Pumping the water from the seams releases the CBM but there is no guarantee that it will all be vented up the designated well. CBM can travel through the coal seam and end up being vented into the atmosphere acting as a powerful greenhouse gas, or can migrate into nearby water wells or houses, posing health risks to local communities.