Classic case of pushing technological plateaus.  While exploiting coal we have encountered several plateaus while mining and burning it for heat and electrical power.  We have become used to breaking the boundaries though some means of technological "progress".  Now, we encounter the ultimate plateau -- global warming.  Following the trend would resign us to finding more tech "solutions" while the wisest choice would take the commandment from the mountaintop -- "Get Off the Coal!".  A lot of money and power rides on keeping us on the mountaintop while the base of the mountain crumbles beneath our feet.  Beating a hasty retreat is the best survival tactic when we face such dire odds.  Ironic and sad as it is, we'll be using coal to help us off the mountain.  But do we need to be developing new coal fired plants to do so?  The transition scenario looks a lot like the old status quo scenario.

And how about Southern Illinois coal:

"Coal power plant has funding, officials say" http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoi ...

"PEABODY ENERGY: ANATOMY OF A BAD CORPORATE CITIZEN"
http://missouri.sierraclub.org/PressReleases/pr2005/Peabo ...

I just converted by electricity to renewable energy.  Everyone who can afford it (and it's only a difference of hundreds, not thousands, of dollars) should call their power company to do the same.

Read more of my rants on global warming, recycling, and organic beer at The Green Miles!

http://news.sawf.org/Health/41209.aspx

The prospect for the wide spread use of hydrogen as a portable energy carrier is dependent on finding a clean, renewable method of production. At Penn State University, a research group headed by professor of electrical engineering Craig Grimes in the Materials Research Institute is "only a couple of problems away" from developing an inexpensive and easily scalable technique for water photoelectrolysis - the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen using light energy - that could help power the proposed hydrogen economy.

John Bailo
Supratext:

SUPERGRID!!

A Power Grid for the Hydrogen Economy
Cryogenic, superconducting conduits could be connected into a "SuperGrid" that would simultaneously deliver electrical power and hydrogen fuel

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=1 ...

We are part of a growing group of engineers and physicists who have begun developing designs for a new energy delivery system we call the Continental SuperGrid. We envision the SuperGrid evolving gradually alongside the current grid, strengthening its capacity and reliability. Over the course of decades, the SuperGrid would put in place the means to generate and deliver not only plentiful, reliable, inexpensive and "clean" electricity but also hydrogen for energy storage and personal transportation.

Engineering studies of the design have concluded that no further fundamental scientific discoveries are needed to realize this vision. Existing nuclear, hydrogen and superconducting technologies, supplemented by selected renewable energy, provide all the technical ingredients required to create a SuperGrid. Mustering the social and national resolve to create it may be a challenge, as will be some of the engineering. But the benefits would be considerable, too.

John Bailo
Supratext:

An earthquake caused by coal mining shook the Saarland region of Germany on the French border Saturday.

http://feww.wordpress.com/2008/02/24/mining-sets-off-eart ...