Evaluation of the Trade-offs from Regional Coal Development and Environmental Strategies

This chapter presents a study that evaluates the environmental, resource, and energy trade-offs associated with alternative coal utilization strategies designed to satisfy specific regional environmental goals. In its most simple form, the study entailed: (1) specification of regional environmental goals, including two or more levels of control for air, water, and solid waste effluents; (2) development of plausible regional technology mix and siting patterns; and (3) trade-off analysis and synthesis. An initial required task was the development of systematic criteria for evaluating trade-offs for competing coal fuel cycles on a unit and regional basis. Emphasis is placed on defining trade-off parameters, such as loss of efficiency through intermediate fuel processing; water consumption; atmospheric and aqueous effluents; waste disposal problems associated with increased effluent control; implication of spatial distribution of fuel cycle components; transportation and transmission requirements; and technology costs including environmental control system costs. By using the regional technology mix, siting patterns, and technology characterization as a basis, the trade-offs associated with alternate levels of control for specific environmental media or objectives are evaluated.