Coal to Liquid Technology - Essay Example

Coal to Liquid Technology 0 Introduction Coal is a resource that is both cheap and plentiful. However, there have beenconcerns related to it effects on the environment. These concerns aside, the demand for energy is increasing everyday and some countries either do not produce oil or do not produce it in sufficient quantities in order to satisfy local demand. Although, renewable energy is an alternative it takes time and additional resources. Some countries are very poor but have coal in abundance. It therefore means that clean technology has to be found to produce energy from coal. Several methods of transforming coal to liquid are available. Some of these are low yield in comparison to others that have yields of up to 70%. The task is to ensure that the level of greenhouse gas emissions is kept low in order to save the environment for the next generation. 2.0 Coal consumption and reserve of the world and the US According to the EIA (2012) the total coal consumption of the world for the year ended December 2010 was 7,994,703 million short tons. EIA (2012) also provides data for the year ended December 31, 2008 which indicates that the amount of coal reserves in the world was 948,000 million short tons. The tables labeled Table 1 shows comparative figures for coal consumption for those years and four (4) years prior to those years. Table 2 shows figures for coal reserves for 2008. Consumption of Coal Description 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 World NA 7,994,703 7,318,283 7,327,554 7,014,934 USA 1,003,066 1,048,295 997,478 1,120,548 1,127,998 US as a percentage of the world 13.11% 13.63% 15.29% 16.07% Table 1: Coal Consumption USA and the World (source U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)) The table indicates that USA alone accounted for approximately 14.33% of the world’s coal consumption between 2007 and 2010. In 2007 the US accounted for 16%. Although the world’s consumption of coal increased in 2008, coal consumption in the US declined by a small margin. Both world consumption and US consumption declined in 2009. However, while the world consumption declined by negligible amounts (9,271 million short tons) the US consumption declined by approximately 11% (123,070 million short tons). In 2010 the US consumption increased by approximately 6% while world consumption increased by approximately 9%. The US accounted for 13% of the world’s consumption in 2010. Coal Reserves 2008 Description 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 World 948,000 USA 260,551 Table 2: Coal Reserves USA and the World – Source U.S. Energy Information Administration The table shows that in 2008 the US held 27% of the world’s coal reserves. This is a very high percentage and indicates how beneficial coal would be if a way is found to reduce its effect on the environment. 3.0 Arguments against the use of coal Many arguments have being put forward against the use of coal. They include: i. Health and safety hazard ii. Large quantities of water are used in coal mining iii. High levels of pollution (Hansen 2009) iv. Destruction of mountains v. Accidents caused from coal mining 3.1 Health and safety hazard Coal is hazardous to the health and safety of all who come in contact with it, especially coal miners. The Center for Disease Control (2012) indicates that between 1998 and 2007, 8,111 persons died from Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis. Most of them were male (8,010), white (7,865) and age 65 years and over (7379). Although the death rate has been declining, it is still cause for concern. A number of accidents have also resulted from inadequate safety measures as miners are left to risk their lives at some mining operations. In fact, in an article entitled Justice for Upper Big Branch, The New York Times (NYT) (2012) indicates that 29 miners died from an explosion at a mine in West Virginia.. In relation to this case a United States attorney filed fraud charges against a Superintendent of the Massey operated Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia of plotting to conceal hazards, doctor’ safety records and for manipulation of the work environment in order to prevent inspectors from obtaining correct information thereby leaving miners at risk (NYT 2012). Safety investigators discovered that the operators of the mine allowed methane which is explosive and cold dust to build up. A spark from a machine that is used to cut coal and which was not being properly maintained caused the build up to ignite. The water sprayers that were on the compound were not able to contain the blast because of clogging. 3.1 Large quantities of water resources In a report to congress entitled Energy Demands on Water Resources the USDOE (2006) indicates that vast amounts of water are used in the mining and processing of coal. The amount of water that is used depends on the method used in the mining process – surface or underground mining. Water is required for cutting coal in underground mines and for suppressing dust during mining and hauling. Additionally, when coal is transported in the form of coal-water slurry a lot of water is used. In fact, the U.S.DOE (2006) points out that more than a billon gallons of water per year was used to transport coal by pipeline in the form of coal slurry in the Black Mesa project which transported 5.5mn tons of coal per annum to the a power plant in Nevada. The USDOE (2006) also indicates that equal amounts of coal and water is required in this process. An estimate of the quantity of water used per day for coal mining is between 70 to 260 gallons (EIA 2006; cited in U.S. DOE 2006). Projections are that the demand for energy from coal will increase by 54% between 2003 and 2030 (U.S. DOE 2006). Water resources are dwindling and mining and processing of coal is an activity that uses a lot of water. The expected increase in demand for energy supplies from coal will therefore place additional pressure on the limited water supply which is also used for domestic purposes. 3.3 High levels of pollution Coal causes the most pollution of all fossil fuels. James Hansen who is one of the world’s foremost experts on climate asked prime ministers of some of the biggest countries in the world like USA, UK and Germany to suspend construction of new coal-fired power plants (Hansen 2009). The reason given is that on its own it represents the greatest threat to life on earth. The burning of coal has helped to increase the carbon dioxide in the air from 280 parts per million (ppm) to 385ppm and this s growing by 2ppm per year (Hansen 2009). The change that threatens us the most is the extermination of species of plants and animals due to global warming (Hansen 2009). Coal is the largest source of carbon dioxide and if it is cut off the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will revert closer to pre-industrial levels at around 350 (Hansen 2009). Coal is not only the largest reservoir for carbon dioxide of all the fossil fuels it is also the dirtiest as it pollutes the oceans and streams with chemicals including: mercury and arsenic (Hansen 2009). These are very dangerous chemicals. Hansen (2009) indicates that the UK, US and Germany are responsible for the pollution of the atmosphere with carbon dioxide with UK causing most of the pollution followed by the US and Germany. 3.4 Destruction of mountains Extracting coal from mountaintops is carried out with the use of heavy explosives. In an article entitled 500 Mountains …Destroyed the Appalachian Voices (2012) indicates that as much as 600 feet of vertical feet of mountains are removed in some instances in order to reach thin layers of coal. The waste or debris resulting from this process is dumped into nearby valleys which not only pollutes but also buries headwater streams (Appalachian Voices 2012). Additionally, 500 mountains have been destroyed and 2000 streams have been buried and polluted because of coal mining (Appalachian Voices 2012). 3.5 Accidents resulting from coal mining Ash which is formed from the combustion of coal can cause heavy fog and smog to build up. This is China’s worst problem and is a major contributor to polluted air (Dalsanto 2010). A number of accidents have resulted due to poor visibility of some roads (Delsanto 2010). 4.0 Why coal to liquid technology needs to be developed Coal to liquid technology needs to be developed for a number of reasons. They include and are not limited to the fact that: i. Insufficient gas and oil resources ii. Abundance of coal iii. Coal is cheap iv. Reduces dependence on foreign oil Insufficient energy resources The energy resources that are available are insufficient to meet demand which is growing daily. Additionally, there are countries in Africa and other places that have no access to electricity. Renewable energy can be very expensive to tap into and that alone would not be able to fill the gap. In an article entitled ‘Why coal?’ Justin Lin (2009) indicates that the World Bank Group provides funds for coal-fired power plants though it supports sustainable development because there is a great need for energy in poor countries like Africa. Coal is cheap and there is an abundance of it and so whether or not the World Bank supports it, these types of power plants will be built (Lin 2009). If the World Bank does not offer any support then this will result in a proliferation of coal plants that are both cheaper and dirtier (Lin 2009). Additionally, research done by various groups indicates that renewable energy by itself cannot supply the amount of energy that is required and so a mix of different types of energy is required for a long time – even decades (Lin 2009). Abundance of Coal There is an abundance of coal in the US and other parts of the world. Therefore, in order to meet the growing energy demand all possible resources have to be considered. In fact, statistical data indicates that the US consumes more than 13% of the world’s coal and has more than 25% of the world’s reserves (EIA 2012). In order to fill the gap in demand coal is the most likely source because of its availability. Some of the places that do not currently have access to electricity have a lot of coal and so the demand will most likely be filled by this means. The Cost of coal Coal is not only available in abundance. It is also relatively cheap. Demand for some items depend on price and since coal is relatively cheap the poorer countries of the world are more likely to utilize it as a means of generating electricity. In fact, there are different methods of mining coal, some of which are more cost effective than others. Reduces dependence on foreign oil A large proportion (about a quarter) of the world oil reserves is located in the Middle East. However, both the cost and the supply are determined by political factors. Therefore, when the US uses coal which is both cheap and abundant it reduces the demand for oil which provides economic benefits. Coal to liquid technology Coal to liquid technology (CLT) is a process in which coal is transformed into liquid. This procedure is called liquefaction. Three basic approaches are used – pyrolysis, direct coal liquefaction (DCL) and indirect coal liquefaction (ICL) (Hook and Aleklett 2010). Carbonization and pyrolysis In a report entitled ‘Coal: liquid fuels’ the World Coal Institute indicates that carbonization is the oldest process of liquefaction. The process involves heating coal to approximately 950 degrees Celsius in a closed container. This process results in low yields. Hydrocarbon liquid also known as coal tar is one of the by-products which is used in the manufacture of materials for roof, compounds for insulation and as raw materials for paints and dyes (World Coal Institute 2006). Mild pyrolysis is also carbonization but at a lower temperatures of between 450 and 650 degrees Celsius. Liquid yields are higher at this temperature. The main product at this temperature range is char. There is also rapid pyrolysis which processes coal at temperatures of around 1,200 degrees Celsius for a few seconds. However, this process is aimed at producing chemical feed stocks rather than liquid coal. This process only produces a small fraction of liquid fuels which requires further processing (World Coal Institute 2006). Direct Coal Liquefaction Direct coal liquefaction is the process by which hydrogen is used to breakdown coal. The basic process involves dissolving the coal in a solvent at high temperature and then adding hydrogen. This yields about 70% liquid compared to the amount of coal fed into the process. Additionally, the liquid produced is of a higher quality than those obtained from the pyrolysis method. Although it can be used in power generation as is further processing is required before it can be used as fuel for transport. There are two main types of direct liquefaction – single-stage and two-stage (World Coal Institute 2006). In the single stage process a primary reactor or reactor chain is used to distill the liquid while in the two-stage method two reactors are used in the distillation process. Indirect coal liquefaction Indirect liquefaction is the complete breakdown of coal by gasification using steam. This gives rise to what is referred to as synthesis gas (syngas) which is then adjusted to the required balance of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In order to prevent poisoning of the reaction catalyst sulphur is removed. The syngas is then put through a low temperature process where several products are produced. These products will vary according to the reaction conditions as well as the catalyst used. Methanol and DME are produced at different temperature using different catalyst. Application of coal to liquid technology (CLT) around the world Energy security is cause for major concern around the world and ‘liquid fuels from coal provides a viable alternative to conventional oil products (World Coal Institute). Liquid fuels from coal provide ultra-clean fuels for transportation and for cooking. Existing fleets of vehicles and supply infrastructure can be used and this will have air quality benefits. The use of liquid fuels from coal will also reduce indoor air pollution and therefore alleviate the associated risks to health. The increased need for oil for use in vehicles is growing and CLT provides answers to the increased demand for energy. Coal is not only cheap but there is an abundance of it. Countries which are major users of oil such as China, India and US have vast reserves that will be available for the foreseeable future. In fact, the two-stage method of direct liquefaction is used by the Shenhua Inner Mongolia plant in China. They have developed a proprietary technology from the two-stage liquefaction process (World Coal Institute 2006). Sasol which is located in South Africa is the only commercial-scale indirect coal liquefaction process that is currently in operation (World Coal Institute 2006). China a high user of energy and with the increase in the number of multinational corporations that have moved there in recent times the need exists for them to use the resources that they have in abundance. One such resource is coal. The likely impact on the US if CTL technology is utilized Coal to liquid technology should have a positive impact on the US economy. Coal is cheap and the US has more than 25 per cent of the world’s reserve. Although, there are environmental concerns in relation to coal there are various processes that are available to prevent the emission of greenhouse gases into the environment. Coal to liquid technology would allow for use of the liquid by-product as fuel for vehicles as well as fuel for cooking. This would reduce the amount the US spends importing oil from other countries. The US is a deficit country and this would help to reduce it by reducing its oil import bill. The use of coal appears to be inevitable and so cleaner coal plants are required. New technologies that will be able to capture and store carbon dioxide are extremely important. Clean technology is especially important because of airborne pollution which is affecting life on planet earth. Works cited Appalachian Voices. 500 Mountains…Destroyed. 2012. Web. 21 November 2012. Center for Disease Control. Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis: Mortality. 27 March 2012. Web. 20 November 2012. Dalsanto, D. Clean Coal Technology - Why We Need It So & When Will We Have It? Greenpeace. The Greenpeace Case against Coal-Fired Power Generation: And the case for real solutions to climate change and energy insecurity. Nov 2009. Web. http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/pdfs/climate/caseagainstcoal200909.pdf Hansen, J. (2009). Coal-fired power stations are death factories. Close them. 15 Feb 2009. Web. 20 Nov 2012. Hook, M and Aleklett, K. A review on coal to liquid fuels and its coal consumption. International Journal of Energy Research, 2010, 32(1): p. 848-864 Lin, J. Why coal? 03/02/2009. Web. 20 November 2012 http://blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/why-coal… Mitchell, L and, L. Erdman. The Cost of Coal. Web. 21 November 2012. New York Times. Justice for Upper Big Branch. 27 February 2012. Web. 20 November 2012. U.S. Department of Energy. Energy Demands on Water Resources: Report to Congress on the Interdependency of Energy and Water. 2006. Web. 20 November 2012. http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/coalpower/ewr/pubs/DOE%20energy-water%20nexus%20Report%20to%20Congress%201206.pdf U.S. EIA. International Energy Statistics: Total Coal Consumption (Thousand Short Tons). International Energy Statistics. Web. 23 Nov 2012. http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=1&pid=1&aid=2&cid=regions&syid=2011&eyid=2011&unit=TST US EIA. International Energy Statistics: Total Recoverable Coal (Million short Tons). Web. 23 Nov 2012 World Coal Institute. Coal: Liquid Fuels. October 2009. Web. 20 November 2012. Read More