National Academy Of Sciences Raises Serious Questions On US Coal Reserves - ODAC

US National Academy of Sciences Questions US Coal Reserves

The US National Academy of Sciences have just released a report on coal, the fourth report in as many months suggesting global coal reserves may be considerably less than commonly believed. Except that this report suggests taking up to 10 years to determine an accurate estimate of US coal reserves. The report questions the myth of enough coal for 250 years, indeed, is certain there is enough coal only to 2030, and that is at current rates of production. The full report costs $US36-42.3, depending on version, but the crux of the report is available free, in the Report Brief (PDF, 2.46 Mb, 4 pages). All emphasis in bold ODAC’s:

EDIT

http://www.odac-info.org/

Accurate and comprehensive estimates of national coal reserves are essential for a coherent national energy strategy, particularly for community, workforce, and infrastructure planning. Although the United States is endowed with a vast amount of coal, coal reserves (i.e., the coal that can be economically mined using current mining practices) are a small proportion of total coal resources.

Present estimates of coal reserves — which take into account location, quality, recoverability, and transportation issues—are based upon methods that have not been updated since their inception in 1974, and much of the input data were compiled in the early 1970s. Recent programs to assess coal recoverability in limited areas using updated methods indicate that only a small fraction of previously estimated reserves are actually recoverable. Such findings emphasize the need for a reinvigorated coal reserve assessment program using modern methods and technologies.

A coordinated federal-state-industry initiative to determine the magnitude and characteristics of the nation’s recoverable coal reserves, using modern mapping, coal characterization, and database technologies, should be instituted with the goal of providing policy makers with a comprehensive accounting of national coal reserves within 10 years. The report estimates that such an initiative, which should be lead by the U.S. Geological Survey and involve participation by the Energy Information Administration at DOE, states, and industry, will require additional funding of approximately
$10 million per year.

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http://dels.nas.edu/dels/rpt_briefs/coal_r&d_final.pdf

Didn't anyone plan anything?

Hooray for stupidity!
:woohoo: