Carbon pollution and US coal exports - an unholy connection

Of all the fossil fuels responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, coal remains one of the most prolific, polluting, preferred energy sources despite increased use of renewable energy and the exploitation of gas resources from coal seams in a number of Western countries including the United States. The US, despite reducing its' own direct reliance on coal through natural gas expansion, is instead seeking to increase the export of this fossil fuel to Asia. Of particular interest and public controversy are plans to increase the number of coal export ports along Western seabord of the United States to enable increased exploitation of the Powder River Basin, straddling the states of Wyoming and Montana. Powder River Basin provides 40% of energy in US coal-fired power plants and over 7 milllion tonnes of coal are exported from there to Asia. Three additional ports (Millenium Bulk, Morrow Pacific and Gateway Pacific) are planned for construction which will increase coal exports to 100 million tonnes per annum with an upper target of 135 million tonnes. 

The impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, has been measured as 194 million tonnes of carbon dioxide according to the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh. In effect this would nullify most of the advances made in reducing US energy reliance on carbon-rich fuel by increasing consumption in developing countries. As one hand gives, the other hand takes away.