Future of Engineering
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Coal Emerging as Feedstock for Plastics - Bad News for Environment?
We all know that crude oil isn't just used to fuel our cars and heat our homes - it is also used to make a range of chemicals, including those in plastics, lubricants and fertilisers. With dwindling oil reserves, coal is emerging as an easy alternative. This could be true for the chemical applications as well.
Why is this a concern? Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel. One megawatt hour of electricity produced from coal produces 974 kg CO2 versus 726 and 469 for oil and natural gas.
Coal becomes an economically attractive option for making plastic when oil sells for $50 per barrel. It ceases to be attractive below $35 per barrel.
So why is coal not already being used? In part because of environmental concerns. Coal gets bad press, and countries that have signed the Kyoto protocol may not be able to "afford" the additional emissions of CO2. Not surprising, then, that coal's potential as a raw material for making chemicals is greatest in China, India and the US -- as yet, none of them have any obligations to reduce their emissions and together, they are home to about half the world's coal reserves.
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Why is this a concern? Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel. One megawatt hour of electricity produced from coal produces 974 kg CO2 versus 726 and 469 for oil and natural gas.
Coal becomes an economically attractive option for making plastic when oil sells for $50 per barrel. It ceases to be attractive below $35 per barrel.
So why is coal not already being used? In part because of environmental concerns. Coal gets bad press, and countries that have signed the Kyoto protocol may not be able to "afford" the additional emissions of CO2. Not surprising, then, that coal's potential as a raw material for making chemicals is greatest in China, India and the US -- as yet, none of them have any obligations to reduce their emissions and together, they are home to about half the world's coal reserves.
More from here
Labels: Chemical-Engineering, Energy-Environment-Engineering
PermaLink - Coal Emerging as Feedstock for Plastics - Bad News for Environment? posted by Ecacofonix : 9:45 AM
