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We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government.

-James Madison

Coal is the Energy Source of the Future?

Most interest in "alternative" energy (i.e. non-petroleum based) focuses on solar, wind, or biomass. Anywhere but coal. But GreatPoint Energy is looking to make methane from coal - cleanly and cheaply. It sounds too good to be true. Founder Andrew Perlman:

If you can take the most highly used fuel source in the US, that's extremely dirty, and convert it into a fuel that burns very cleanly, then you actually do have an impact on people's lives and people's health...

NPR story here. As is often the case, the story does not spend much time on the fact that changing the fuel source for our electrical generators is a totally different issue from our automobile dependence on petroleum. Electric cars would be our best bet, but consumers have yet to jump on that option. I don't know that cleaner coal derivatives would matter to most people. But I still find alternative fuel sources (both autos and electric) completely fascinating, and worthy of investigation and discussion.

Posted by Wulf on April 26, 2006 at 08:59 AM

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But methane is a greenhouse gas. Do you want to kill us all? Besides, we humans don't want to compete with the forests and cows in methane production: http://www.rainbowbrown.co.nz/shop/news/index.php?id=10&ses_id=0620eb7847b3b9ac6d8db540054a07dd

Personally, I'd like to go back to using...coal. I hear that nothing keeps you warmer in the winter than burning coal.

Posted by: Rammage at April 27, 2006 11:42 AM

I still prefer burning hippies. They're difficult to light, but it sure is fun.

Seriously, the problem with "alternative" energy sources is that they don't make economic sense. Maybe one day. About $0.50 more per gallon of gas, and hydrogen is going to look cheap enough to actually be useful.

Posted by: Chris Moore at April 27, 2006 8:22 PM

"Chris Moore."

There is a name I have not heard for many moons.

You wouldn't happen to be a physics teacher would you?

Posted by: Rammage at April 28, 2006 10:10 AM

We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government.

-James Madison

Coal is the Energy Source of the Future?

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