U.S. COAL AND THE ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY

The author examines current theories of coal economics and draws on extensive discussions with both coal consumers in the electric power industry and with the coal industry itself. He finds that the future of coal is by no means as promising as speculators suggest, and that coal reserves may not be as accessible as previously assumed. Today's more expensive oil can still compete successfully with coal in meeting environmental standards, and nuclear power may be a strong competitor. Thus, while the study emphasizes the value of continuing research on coal and coal-derived fuels, it gives no promise that coal will become a fuel of first resort in the American electric power industry. Gordon provides tabular demonstration of the complex relationships he describes among fuels, power companies, purchasing policies, cost, and environmental policies, all of which influence the use of coal as an energy-generating fuel.

• Corporate Authors:

  Johns Hopkins University Press

  2715 North Charles Street
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21218-4363
• Authors:
  • Gordon, R L
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Pagination: 213 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Coal; Coal industry; Electric power generation; Forecasting; Freight traffic; Public utilities; Traffic forecasting
• Uncontrolled Terms: Utilities
• Subject Areas: Energy; Freight Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00138078
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ASME Journal of Mechanical Engineering
• Report/Paper Numbers: ISBN 0-8018-1697-1
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 6 1976 12:00AM