Coal

Gas prices to power plants have surged in 2003 and rekin­dled interest in new coal-fired power plants. An increasing number of new coal-­fired projects have been announced in the last 12 months. Recently, however, coal prices have begun to creep up, especially in the eastern United States.

Joint coal-wind development is not a good greenhouse gas reduction strategy. If carbon limits are imposed on the U.S. electric sector at some future date, nuclear power may be the only viable option for satisfying the country's growing appetite for electricity.

With rising power and gas prices, coal gasification in back in fashion, along with new approaches to cogeneration and combined heat and power.

It appears that coal will continue to play a role in meeting the need for new generating capacity in the U.S. Used in the proper context, perhaps coal does not have to be a "four-letter" word.