Ever since the Industrial Revolution, the use of coal has increased considerably. After all, back in the early 20th century it was a great source of power for trains, factories and even residential households. Here at Pearson fuels, we recognise that the global demand for coal continues to increase every year but with experts predicting that we only have enough reserves to last for another 150 years at the current rate of consumption, the government has been looking for alternative energy sources. Read on as we go through three reasons why coal is still a reliable energy source…
Affordability
In comparison to alternatives like oil and natural gas, coal is the most affordable energy source on the market. After all, it is available in abundance and studies show that our reserves have enough coal to last another 150 years at the current rate of consumption. The biggest competitor is hydro-generated power, which uses water and is known as a renewable energy source; however, it does not provide the convenience of coal and is said to create more problems than it solves.
Creates Jobs
The coal mining industry may not be as big as it was in the early 20th century, however, it is still a very successful and highly sought-after source of employment. After all, in order for coal to be used to generate power and energy, there must be miners who dig deep within the earth in order to find veins of coal, extract it and transport it to the required facility. From this, we can deduce that coal actually creates jobs and helps boost the economy.
Land Reclamation
Once a mine has been thoroughly investigated and there are no more traces of coal, the land can be reclaimed and repurposed for another use. This means that there is no need to have an open piece of land that acts as an eyesore to beautiful scenery. In fact, from golf courses to national parks, there are an abundance of different ways that previous coal mines can be re-purposed in order to benefit the aesthetics of a local area.
Although it is important to remember that coal is a non-renewable energy source, large industrial power plants use more coal every year in order to generate energy than a single household will use in a lifetime. After all, as one of the most reliable energy sources on the market it is safe to say that the aesthetic value of a coal fire is hard to beat! To find out more information, get in contact with the best coal merchants around and speak to a member of the Pearson Fuels team today!