JPS1 jeffhergert Soar? Skyrocket? Yes, I can see it. So what? While some coal plants may be able to be restarted, many others are gone. Replaced by gas plants that can't be easily converted, if at all. The energy companies will just pass on the increased cost as much as possible. Jeff My former employer - I am retired - has shut down and mothballed half of its coal fired steam electric stations. The others are on or near the chopping block. They are not coming back. It is not just the economics of coal vs alternative fuels or alternative sources, i.e. wind, solar, etc. It is also emotions. The political winds, which are driven by emotions, are blowing against coal. It is unlikely that any new coal fired power plants will be built in Texas, and the push will be to retire the existing ones as soon as practicable.
jeffhergert Soar? Skyrocket? Yes, I can see it. So what? While some coal plants may be able to be restarted, many others are gone. Replaced by gas plants that can't be easily converted, if at all. The energy companies will just pass on the increased cost as much as possible. Jeff
While some coal plants may be able to be restarted, many others are gone. Replaced by gas plants that can't be easily converted, if at all. The energy companies will just pass on the increased cost as much as possible.
Jeff
My former employer - I am retired - has shut down and mothballed half of its coal fired steam electric stations. The others are on or near the chopping block. They are not coming back.
It is not just the economics of coal vs alternative fuels or alternative sources, i.e. wind, solar, etc. It is also emotions. The political winds, which are driven by emotions, are blowing against coal. It is unlikely that any new coal fired power plants will be built in Texas, and the push will be to retire the existing ones as soon as practicable.
Natural gas also has total cost advantages, right?
Coal plants usually have more restricted turndown, too. That makes them better for baseline operation than variable or transient demand.
Paul Milenkovic Coal power plants are also less thermally efficient than the best gas-fired plants.
Coal power plants are also less thermally efficient than the best gas-fired plants.
My understanding is that a brand new coal plant can hit 45% in thermal efficiency and still meet some fairly strict emissions standards. OTOH, the best combined cycle plants are running about 60% thermal efficiency.
The main issue with a coal plant is that it tends to be more expensive and take longer to build than a combined cycle plant and thus would need to run at a high capacity factor for economic reasons.
jeffhergertSoar? Skyrocket? Yes, I can see it. So what? While some coal plants may be able to be restarted, many others are gone. Replaced by gas plants that can't be easily converted, if at all. The energy companies will just pass on the increased cost as much as possible. Jeff
Just like a illicit drug dealer - hook them on the product and raise the price.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Soar? Skyrocket? Yes, I can see it. So what?
"Natural gas prices are set to soar."
Soar. Sky rocket. Words that should be banned.
For the price to increase to $3 per million BTUs, we are talking roughly the equivalent of 42 cents for a gallon of #2 Diesel. Yes, wholesale, but it is still an energy bargain. The projected price is gas recovering from the price having crashed owing to the Virus Crisis.
We are talking the equivalent of $84/ton of a low-ash coal? Doesn't coal run about $50/ton? Coal power plants are also less thermally efficient than the best gas-fired plants. I think gas would have to get much more expensive to get people's attention to switch back to coal.
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
Interesting article and I wonder if it means a rebound in coal traffic and if so for how long and how high a rebound?
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-natural-gas-prices-set-220000277.html
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