Tel: (845) 626-2627   Home   Contact  
Sun Volt

Sun Volt Solar

earth, the final frontier

Clean Energy, Clean Environment

We are at a cross roads in human history, we can choose to continue on as we have been, or we can make a change to improve our future and quite possibly the future for several generations to come. We are here to promote energy independence, a better environment, a secure future and a higher return on investment for your hard earned dollar. It is what I believe in, it is why I am in the solar business.

Is this coal clean?

27 Dec 08 | Environment

The dam around a retaining pond a TVA’s coal fired Kingston power plant burst and an estimated billion (B) gallons of coal ash and sludge flowed out covering more than 300 acres of adjacent land.  Several neighbors had to be evacuated from there homes as fears of water and airborne contamination spread.

There is no technology that can get rid of coal ash, also known as fly ash, which is a byproduct of coal combustion.   The TVA insists that fly ash is non toxic, however the EPA is of a different mind, from the New York Times:

A draft report last year by the federal Environmental Protection Agency found that fly ash, a byproduct of the burning of coal to produce electricity, does contain significant amounts of carcinogens and retains the heavy metal present in coal in far higher concentrations. The report found that the concentrations of arsenic to which people might be exposed through drinking water contaminated by fly ash could increase cancer risks several hundredfold.

The post industrial revolution development scheme tends to use the strategy of building super regulated subdivisions miles away from power plants or other industrial activities.  After all, who want there back yards to look like this:

This merely pushes the problem further away, which allows the problem to grow bigger and bigger and bigger until it takes over and ruins the entire area. Our coal use should be getting smaller with an eye toward phasing it out all together. Soon.

Tags: ,

27 Dec 08 | Environment
«
»


Leave a Reply