3 ms·

There's also the fact that coal power plants tend to be pretty far from heavily populated areas. Even if the US power grid were 100% coal (which it is not) thi

There's also the fact that coal power plants tend to be pretty far from heavily populated areas. Even if the US power grid were 100% coal (which it is not) this would still be a win as far as cleaner air goes for a significant portion of the population. There's a big difference between a coal burning power plant's emissions 50 miles away and a school bus idling right outside your house in terms of air quality. That's not even counting the air scrubbers and particulate capturing systems many coal power plants are required to have. The bottom line is the exhaust coming out of a coal burning power plant is much cleaner than even a brand new diesel school bus, let alone all the older buses still in service.

erosenbe0 5y ago
The biggest source of particulate in my neighborhood as in most is recreational wood fires, where they allowed. The diesel schoolbus is nothing by comparison. Actually the fires are not allowed but people do it anyway and you need a drone to find them.
AtlasBarfed 5y ago
Plus coal is more expensive by LCOE than wind and solar, and has been for several years. That means electric companies are losing money running coal plants. They are racing to replace them with wind and solar and natural gas turbine, with the gas turbine slater for replacement with storage once that is cheap enough. Finally, with EVs and the electric grid, the power can be phased out centrally. Even if coal is used RIGHT NOW, once new power generation is available it is a seamless switchover for EVs. If in the long term some dirt cheap thorium reactor supplants solar and wind, EVs don't care where the electrons come from. Plus home solar, EVs doubling as home energy backup/storage, less components in the EV require less manufacturing, safer skateboard design, more internal space, lower center of gravity, regen breaking. Although the ideal transition is a 100 mile LFP PHEV for the next ten years. No range anxiety, 90% + of daily and weekend driving is all electric, maximizes use of current manufacturing capacity of batteries, regen breaking efficiency. Ten years ago (,ten years after the first Prius) we should have required all consumer passenger vehicles to be PHEV in a phased in manner. It's still not too late to do that.

erosenbe0 5y ago

The biggest source of particulate in my neighborhood as in most is recreational wood fires, where they allowed. The diesel schoolbus is nothing by comparison. Actually the fires are not allowed but people do it anyway and you need a drone to find them.

AtlasBarfed 5y ago

Plus coal is more expensive by LCOE than wind and solar, and has been for several years. That means electric companies are losing money running coal plants. They are racing to replace them with wind and solar and natural gas turbine, with the gas turbine slater for replacement with storage once that is cheap enough. Finally, with EVs and the electric grid, the power can be phased out centrally. Even if coal is used RIGHT NOW, once new power generation is available it is a seamless switchover for EVs. If in the long term some dirt cheap thorium reactor supplants solar and wind, EVs don't care where the electrons come from. Plus home solar, EVs doubling as home energy backup/storage, less components in the EV require less manufacturing, safer skateboard design, more internal space, lower center of gravity, regen breaking. Although the ideal transition is a 100 mile LFP PHEV for the next ten years. No range anxiety, 90% + of daily and weekend driving is all electric, maximizes use of current manufacturing capacity of batteries, regen breaking efficiency. Ten years ago (,ten years after the first Prius) we should have required all consumer passenger vehicles to be PHEV in a phased in manner. It's still not too late to do that.