Argumentative Essay: Coal Energy And Sustainable Energy

We near the year 2020, and sustainable energy is a pressing concern. On the political front, Hilary Clinton’s clean energy plan will be shutting down many coal power plants. However, if we stop using coal power plants we have many power options we need to select from; Such as solar, wind, water, or nuclear. It’s not clear which power option is best suited to replace the coal generation in place. Coal is a very cheap power option. By far the cheapest options amongst power options today. Also, the most used power option in the United States at 33% (“U.S. Energy Information Administration”, WEB). However, with coal comes many problems. From CO2 emissions from the power plant, dangerous mining operations, or transporting the coal. “Given the abundant coal reserves in countries such as China (but, for example, also in the US and Poland), the likelihood of a strict decarbonisation policy can be however be questioned (Rennings 353).” Coal power is a highly accessible and cheap power option. Solar and Wind are strong

However, nuclear technology has been around for a long time. With nuclear, an incredibly low risk is associated with it. Many countries use nuclear to great success with proper controls and regulations. Nuclear has been framed as a “bad” technology as many tragedies have followed it and the damage can be irreversible for centuries. Lastly, the cost of bring a new plant online is financially daunting. Even given the stigma surround nuclear it could resurface as a good alternative power to coal. It is a good alternative due to no CO2 being released during power production. “Unlike power plants that burn coal, oil, or natural gas to generate electricity, nuclear plants do not release any carbon dioxide as a by-product of the generation process (Kaley 146).” CO2 is one of the largest reasons to stray away from coal and move on to cleaner options; it’s a greenhouse gas that will contribute to global