Why has the world started to mine coal again?

Metal Zealot@lemmy.ml to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 322 points –

With climate change looming, it seems so completely backwards to go back to using it again.

Is it coal miners pushing to keep their jobs? Fear of nuclear power? Is purely politically motivated, or are there genuinely people who believe coal is clean?

Edit, I will admit I was ignorant to the usage of coal nowadays.

Now I'm more depressed than when I posted this

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  • It takes 20 years to build
  • nobody knows how much nuclear fuel will cost in 20 years
  • you have to take out a big loan and make interest payments on it for maybe 30 years before you start making a profit
  • if you don't have enough water for cooling because of climate change, the plant must shut down
  • if your neighbor decides to start a war against you, your nuclear plants become a liability, see Ukraine.

I think smaller, decentralized renewable energy is cheaper in the short and long run and has a much lower risk in case of accidents, natural Desasters or attacks.

SMR (small modular reactors) are looking like they could become the next hip thing in nuclear power tech.

Basically a lot lower initial investment and offer a lot more flexibility.

Linky link

The link has a lot of info on them

I really don't see that as a good progression. We want to focus on renewables because that's the most sustainable way to go. Why go back to nuclear again?

That said if you are saying that's where the industry is moving even though that's probably not the best approach, fair enough. My opinion has zero effect on the industry.

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