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115 comments on The Carbon Economy

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TI on January 30, 2006 - 3:44am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top
Coal follows also a Hubbert curve. It seems quite likely that world coal production is also peaking in relatively near future, may be in 10 - 20 years. China can no way keep up its production growth of nearly 10% for long - this might mean 1 to 5 years. So the global carbon flow will probably diminish significantly during the next 50 years. We can expect that almost all of the carbon in the fossile fuels reserves will be used eventually, but at slower rate and during very long time frame. So the question is, what will this mean for carbon amounts in the atmosphere and oceans.
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ericy on January 30, 2006 - 2:23pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

This is a very good point.  In reality we ought to be looking at coal reserves on a country by country basis, and trying to get a feel for how accurate those numbers are.

You also have the same problem with coal as you do with oil - namely you can get light sweet crude, and heavy sour crude.  With coal, you can get low-sulphur or high-sulphur.  The low-sulphur is in high demand right now, but we will run out of that sooner.

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porsena on January 31, 2006 - 1:40am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Yes, and let's not forget that much of China's coal is the high sulfur kind.  On a visit to Xingdao, where they make the beer, about ten years ago, I was taken up a track to a hill with a view overlooking the city.  We travelled the last part on foot because the road had come to an end.  It was October, the start of the heating season, and I remember the burning in my eyes, the sulfur taste in my mouth and the effect on my lungs much better than the view.

Along with the GHG effects, we might also pause to remember sulfur emissions and acid rain at some point.

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Leanan on January 31, 2006 - 11:24am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Sulfur may be the least of their worries.  Millions of people suffer arsenic poisoning in China, due to coal with high arsenic content.  Flouride poisoning is also a problem.
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Generaly on January 31, 2006 - 11:30am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
And, the largest source of mercury emissions in America is...a coal fired power plant!
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Generaly on January 30, 2006 - 4:42pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Could we be in for a new website called, www.thecoalpile.com ?  Maybe we will need a whole bunch of websites for every other mineral like www.thecopperpot.com and maybe www.thekaolinbowl.com

It looks like every non-renewable resource is subject...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060126195628.htm

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115 comments on The Carbon Economy

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