Carbon emission savings from switch to shale gas negated by exported coal

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Carbon emissions from U.S. electrical generation are down 5.5% this year, thanks to a switch from coal to cleaner natural gas. But it's environmental sleight-of-hand: carbon emissions from coal exports (mostly to Europe) are up 5.7%. And that doesn't include emissions from the low-grade bunker fuel burned by the ships used to transport it.



"U.S. coal consumption has fallen by 237 million short tons from 2005 to 2012, a drop of more than 21 percent. The decline in coal consumption was driven almost entirely by trends in the electric power sector, where low-cost natural gas, and to a lesser extent, growing renewable electricity production, displaced coal-fired power plants.

The sharp drop in coal consumption has also been a major contributor to declining U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which stood 13 percent below 2005 levels in 2012.

Yet while coal use declined at home, coal exports increased and global prices for coal fell, prompting some to worry: are the climate gains associated with declining U.S. coal consumption simply being offset by booming exports?" (See third comment)

http://theenergycollective.com/jessejenkins/203801/friday-energy-facts-us-coal-consumption-is-down-are-exports-eroding-climate-ben?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+%28all+posts%29

[NYC_SKP]

1. RWers complain about energy independence but don't mind selling our fuel reserves overseas?

Yep. Hypocrisy yet again.

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2. who is 'our'?

global fuel reserves not changed by exporting.

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3. Domestic prices are changed. nt