Clean Coal

In the absence of a working alternative to fossil fuels, it will become more and more of a necessity to turn to coal for fuel. Unless a renewable form of energy is developed that can power everybody's cars, the industry is going to turn to coal. I'm not advocating this, I'm just pointing out that that's the reality of the situation.

It is for this reason that I advocate research into clean coal technology. Of course at the very mention of this, environmentalists like to point out that there's no such thing, and, sure, the technology, right now, is very sketchy and few of the private companies who are advocating it are actually putting money into developing it. This is, in my opinion, the biggest reason people think clean coal is bullshit. And you what? Maybe it is, but in the absence of viable alternatives, we should at least be open to finding a way to make coal cleaner, because we may be stuck with it.

Fortunately, although private companies don't really want to develop clean coal technology, there are at least a few government programs that do. China, now the world's biggest polluter, has severe air quality problems, but at the same time, needs to continue to develop in order to prevent its collapse and widespread domestic revolt. Realizing that coal is likely their only future form of fuel, but also understanding that the current level of coal use is poisoning their population, is frantically trying to find ways to make coal cleaner.

Will this technology ever be effective? Maybe, maybe not. But if there is a chance that it can, and it looks like there may be? Why not investigate it? Why not research it?