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Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 7:59 am
by swyman
About have my neighbor talked into a stoker boiler and he was at a stove shop and the salesman made a comment "good luck getting coal down the road". Granted he is a salesman trying to talk my friend into buying a wood boiler instead so means nothing but did get me thinking....... what does the future hold? I know things are very good in coal country but in future election years I know things can change. I believe the biggest gripe is the coal electric plants and can see the dems trying to do away with it someday as they have done or tried to do before. My question to the folks that live in the area unlike me, do you think there would ever be a time (in our lifetime) that we would see the gov stop all coal use? I told my neighbor no way in Hades but it did make me question myself?

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 8:20 am
by tcalo
Well, things change from time to time. Obama tried to kill the coal industry while Trump is keeping it going. As far as the power plants go, they’ll need something to replace coal before making the switch. I think we’re safe for a while.

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 9:46 am
by McGiever
This question has been already asked and discussed before.

What's the Future of coal ?

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 10:32 am
by Sunny Boy
True the big power companies are moving away from coal, but the media leaves out another part of the story.

I see coal stoves are for sale in more places, and on the internet now.

Just within ten miles of here there are four more coal dealers, including bulk coal delivery, in just the past ten years. Go out thirty miles and that number is even far more to choose from in that time. And, I see fewer adds in the local paper for guys selling firewood than there was ten years ago.

Read through Lehigh Matt's listing of new Lehigh dealers and look at the dates.

What's all that that tell you about the future of coal ?

Your stove salesman likely hasn't a clue about any of that, or if he is, he's BS-ing you with what he's heard on the TV.

Something else to consider. I was in retail and wholesale sales for awhile. We carried many lines of products that competed with each other. Places that carry several or more competing brands of merchandise are often subject to working with the situation that not all manufactures give their dealers the same percentage, or sales incentives. So salesman tend to push their product lines that put more money in their pocket regardless of how market demands may seem to be going. I had some product lines that gave more sales commission, and/or, sales quota goals that when met, increased my commission. Guess which ones I pushed to be top sellers ?

Paul

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 11:59 am
by swyman
Sunny Boy wrote:
Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 10:32 am


I see coal stoves are for sale in more places, and on the internet now.


Your stove salesman likely hasn't a clue about any of that, or if he is, he's BS-ing you with what he's heard on the TV.
salesman tend to push their product

Paul
You right and I am no where near coal country so there are not very many in this are that know anything about it. I can't believe how far south some of the folks on here burning coal. For me it has been the best means of heating my house and I have done it with corn, wood, and propane...none come close...well I didn't mind corn till prices went sky high in '06-'07. Wood works if you have the time and access to a forest to supply it....I actually started a tree service to supply mine till I started a new job where I was working 7 days a week. Propane is $$$$$$$$. I absolutely love burning coal, extremely affordable and minimal work.

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 12:12 pm
by Bubbalowe

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 2:03 pm
by Bubbalowe
Not sure why the link to the specific article doesn't work. It's about shuttering of coal fired generating stations at an accelerated pace. While the article has nothing to do with anthracite, people tend to lump all coal together in discussion of coal's future. Fact is as long as people buy anthracite someone will mine it.

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 6:29 pm
by coaledsweat
The average American couldn't grasp the concept of heating a home with coal. The scale of coal used by industry makes residential heating a non existing fact. Some info I found on the subject.

https://forgreenheat.blogspot.com/2017/06/trends- ... d.html?m=1

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 8:53 pm
by Bubbalowe
coaledsweat wrote:
Thu. Jan. 10, 2019 6:29 pm
The average American couldn't grasp the concept of heating a home with coal. The scale of coal used by industry makes residential heating a non existing fact. Some info I found on the subject.

https://forgreenheat.blogspot.com/2017/06/trends- ... d.html?m=1
Exactly my point, home usage is so small it's not relative. Walk into a stove store and you see one coal stove for every ten pellet/wood stoves. Coal will never be King again but glad it's still around on a cold winter.

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Fri. Jan. 11, 2019 7:07 am
by swyman
Thanks for the read fella's. Just hope it will still be worthwhile for the coal producers to keep digging so we can stay warm....well I will probably never have an issue in my lifetime....that god!

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Fri. Jan. 11, 2019 8:07 am
by franpipeman

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Fri. Jan. 11, 2019 9:30 am
by Homesteader
franpipeman wrote:
Fri. Jan. 11, 2019 8:07 am
Follow the coal usage with rail usage


http://www.rbmnrr.com/happenings/2019/1/8/reading ... ic-records
I just read that two days ago from a link that was on a Railroad forum that I belong to. I'd say that anthracite mining will be around for a long time to come since a lot of it is used in the steel making process either domestically or exported. Also most mining companies with help from the PA. environmental protection agency have become much more responsive to environment concerns. PA. wants the mining industry to sustain itself because of the economics for the area. I don't think that us hard black rock burners have anything to worry about in the future.

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Fri. Jan. 11, 2019 10:43 am
by Bubbalowe

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Sat. Jan. 12, 2019 4:36 pm
by joeq
I guess you guys haven't heard, but the cats out of the bag. The new young congress woman, (AOC) from the Bronx, (fake...not really), says she would eliminate all fossil fuels in "12" years! :lol: (And they're touting her as the "future" of our country.) :baby:

Anyway, one supplier of anthy in my area, said the bulk of their coal supply goes to neighboring nurseries. for heating in the winter. Not sure how much they sell, or if it's popular in other states too.

Re: Coal future?

Posted: Sun. Jan. 13, 2019 12:36 pm
by BigBarney
Home heating fuel will continue for many years ,especially in the

anthracite region because of the reasonable cost, but for electric

generation it will go away. The cost to mine ,ship,burn,and dispose

of the ash waste is too much to be continued, wind and solar will

take this market as costs have come down dramatically.

The large bituminous mines put out a huge volume of coal per

year 771,000,000 tons compared to 1,900,000 tons so you can see

the difference. I use coal to heat (bituminous) because of the low

cost, but wish it could be more automated.

https://www.eia.gov/coal/production/weekly/tables ... uction.php

BigBarney

BigBarney