M10 clean energy - Assignment Example

Clean Energy Clean Coal A number of promising clean coal technologies have been developed with demonstration of such technologies at the commercial level remaining the greatest challenge. However, remarkable strides have been made towards achieving clean coal. Creation of clean coal include technologies such as SO2 control systems, fluid-bed combustion, NOX control technologies, gasification, mercury control systems and advanced and advanced industrial-process technologies (Leonard, 2008). However, it would wrong to claim that clean coal actually exists because only clean coal technologies have been demonstrated.

Projects such as CCPI-1 and CCPI-2 have demonstrated significant mercury removal, reduced sulfur and nitrogen emission, byproduct utilization, carbon dioxide capture, and improved efficiency (Leonard, 2008). Clean coal technology has not yet resulted in what would be termed as clean energy because it still releases carbon dioxide among other harmful particulate matter into the environment. Like of other fossil fuels such as diesel, coal releases sulfur and nitrogen gases as well as release of chemicals such mercury during its mining into the environment (Leonard, 2008).

Such chemicals have negative pollute the environment leading to detrimental effect on the living things. However, biodiesel produced from biological waste has limited negative impact on the environment because it produces relatively reduced greenhouse gases. In this case, biodiesel can be termed as a cleaner source of energy compared to coal energy. Our dependency on fossil fuels can be fast track through determination of the rate of developing and using alternative sources of energy such as biodiesel and solar energy.

The use of renewable sources of energy can clearly depict our dependence on fossil fuels such as oil and coal. ReferencesLeonard, B. (2008). Clean coal technology: Mercury control demonstration projects. London: DIANE Publishing.