Elemental Energy: Simplifying Decarbonization

021: Rollin' Coal on Coal's Role in the Energy Transition, with Ryan Pickering

Marcia Leonard

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Join Ryan Pickering and I as we discuss coal's continued use until we can implement cleaner technologies, be it Natural Gas or Nuclear. Coal is reliable, "cheap" if you do not account for all of the environmental and health impacts associated with it, and infrastructure is already established, contributing ~20% of the United States energy demand and is simple in the technological application - meaning it is not so complex that we have to have massive supply chain advancements for it to be supported. 


Coal reliance does not give us an excuse to stop the process of innovating new energy technology or implementation, and its continued phase-out is still necessary for us to achieve climate goals! 


-Pros of coal on site and fuel storage vs. natural gas

-Coal Fired Generation Capacity here in the United States

-Coal to nuclear conversions 

-Traditional Nuclear being overlooked currently with focus on Advanced Nuclear technologies 

-Engaging younger generations to step into nuclear, what will it take?


https://gain.inl.gov/SiteAssets/2024AddNuclear2MixWorkshop/ResourceItems/NuclearMixHandout-RepurposingwithNuclear.pdf

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