<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Coal electricity prices: the new gas prices]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by sunflower http://www.grist.org/article/first-as-tragedy-then-as-farce/ Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:03:42 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/first-as-tragedy-then-as-farce/1 Black Death

So killing the planet is getting more expensive.

Burning coal is a crime.

]]> Black Death

So killing the planet is getting more expensive.

Burning coal is a crime.

]]> Comment #2 by Liz Borkowski http://www.grist.org/article/first-as-tragedy-then-as-farce/ Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:39:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/first-as-tragedy-then-as-farce/2 the cost of coal-mine safety

If we get an administration that actually wants to enforce mine-safety laws - or even make some new regulations, say in response to the continuing problem of black lung - the coal mines that are currently cutting corners to save money might have to pass additional safety expenses on to customers, too.

]]> the cost of coal-mine safety

If we get an administration that actually wants to enforce mine-safety laws - or even make some new regulations, say in response to the continuing problem of black lung - the coal mines that are currently cutting corners to save money might have to pass additional safety expenses on to customers, too.

]]> Comment #3 by Jonas http://www.grist.org/article/first-as-tragedy-then-as-farce/ Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:46:33 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/first-as-tragedy-then-as-farce/3 At last!

Good of Grist to cover rising coal prices. International contracts for thermal coal show a three-fold increase in prices (many contracts now going at $150/t). Coking coal is off even worse (some contracts at $300/t).

Main factors: key supply disruptions (flooding in Australia, power outages in SA, hyper-demand in China and India, commodity speculation).

The good thing: some renewables (wind, biomass, CSP) are going to beat coal on their own merits as long as the current 'perfect storm' in the coal market endures (most analysts predict the market to remain tight until 2010).

The bad thing: the big coal users are scrambling for new easy coal blocks, notably in Africa and SEAsia (latest news: India's giant state-owned CIL announced a few days ago it is going prospecting in Mozambique & Malawi. Indonesia is opening up more blocks.)

The problem is that the coal resource base is too big for these high prices to endure over the medium term. So in all likeliness, current high prices will only boost investments in more coal production capacity.

The situation is very different from oil, which has a real 'peak' problem, in that the resource base is shrinking rapidly.

]]> At last!

Good of Grist to cover rising coal prices. International contracts for thermal coal show a three-fold increase in prices (many contracts now going at $150/t). Coking coal is off even worse (some contracts at $300/t).

Main factors: key supply disruptions (flooding in Australia, power outages in SA, hyper-demand in China and India, commodity speculation).

The good thing: some renewables (wind, biomass, CSP) are going to beat coal on their own merits as long as the current 'perfect storm' in the coal market endures (most analysts predict the market to remain tight until 2010).

The bad thing: the big coal users are scrambling for new easy coal blocks, notably in Africa and SEAsia (latest news: India's giant state-owned CIL announced a few days ago it is going prospecting in Mozambique & Malawi. Indonesia is opening up more blocks.)

The problem is that the coal resource base is too big for these high prices to endure over the medium term. So in all likeliness, current high prices will only boost investments in more coal production capacity.

The situation is very different from oil, which has a real 'peak' problem, in that the resource base is shrinking rapidly.

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