Canadians rely on coal as part of a balanced energy mix. Coal, complemented by other energy sources like oil, natural gas, nuclear and alternative / renewable energy sources, plays a significant role in providing Canadians with electricity, heat and other essential services.

As is the case with any energy source, using coal has both benefits and challenges. And despite the fact that emissions are higher from coal-fired energy than other forms of energy, coal-fired power plants are significantly cleaner and more efficient than in the past. The black smoke and soot stained environment sometimes associated with coal use, just does not exist.

It is also quite easy to overlook the fact that the abundance and affordability of coal-fired energy allows us to have inexpensive energy to provide light, heat, and a variety of other goods and services that are often just taken for granted. To put it simply, without coal-fired energy worldwide prices of almost every good and service would increase; that would limit money and resources that is now being spent on environmental initiatives, reclamation work, research, and development.

Think about it, we use electricity, steel, or cement in the production of almost every good or service that we produce and use in our society and coal is an essential ingredient in the production of each of those three items. It is also used to produce many other necessary products like fertilizer, paint & preservatives, plastics, computer chips and circuit boards, perfumes, explosives, insulation, and roofing materials to name just a few. Coal is even used to produce sugar substitutes!

Simply labeling coal as "dirty" ignores a great deal of scientific research and progress. Current and developing technologies have progressed far beyond the days where pollution was common and society and governments turned a blind eye to environmental issues. Recognizing that a healthy environment will benefit businesses in the long-run, the coal industry has taken a leading role in funding research that will help to decrease emissions. In fact, some of this research is showing that it may soon be both possible and economical to use coal as a clean energy source, that will actually produce fewer emissions than burning many "clean" fuels. With zero emissions coal, total emissions could even be as low, or lower, than with alternative energy sources.

Additionally, coal-fired plants in the United States and Europe, using new technologies like coal gasification, are operating at efficiencies approaching or equal to those enjoyed by natural gas. Other methods of using coal to produce energy use "critical" or "super critical" burners. These newer burners operate at much higher temperature and efficiencies and in doing so, use far less coal to produce the same amount of energy. These super-efficient burners also drastically reduce emissions.

Epcor's "G3" station, the most advanced coal-fired generation station in Canada, will produce an additional 450 mega-watts of energy for Albertans, enough to supply the energy needs of around 600,000 homes. While providing that energy, G3's supercritrical burner will produce 18% less in CO2 emissions than other coal-fired burners. Additionally, it will not only meet the strict air quality requirements set out by the Federal and Provincial governments, it will far surpass them! NOx emissions from G3 will be 54% below current requirements and SOx emissions will be 57% below current requirements. G3 and other recent developments are proving that coal-fired energy generation is not only affordable and abundant, they are also proving that coal-fired energy can be environmentally friendly.

The affordability, abundance, and increasingly clean nature of coal-fired energy would be impressive if it needed to stand on its own. However, the coal industry has not limited itself to researching clean coal technologies; it is also involved in making sure that the coal mining process is less harmful to the environment.

Coal companies are actually very careful about returning the environment to pre-mining or better than pre-mining conditions when they have finished in an area.

Coal companies restore mine sites by:

 ·         Replacing the overburden - this means that they put back the rocks and dirt they removed to access the coal

·         Recontouring the land - this means they are making sure riparian features (rivers and streams) are restored and the natural slope of the ground is the same as it was before mining

·         Revegetating the site - they replace trees and other plants that were removed during mining

·         Enhancement - in many instances mining companies can make the area better for a specific species or another value when they restore a site. Enhancement can include;

o        Creating wetlands, lakes, or other habitat features to improve fisheries values, migratory bird or wildlife habitat

o        Creating trails or other recreation features

It may seem hard to believe at first, but coal mines in Canada actually have thriving wildlife populations in their immediate vicinity. In fact, miners in the mountain mines have reported seeing grizzly bears hunt elk right in the mine, while the trucks and shovels were working. In another instance a cow elk actually calved right beside a mine parking lot. Additionally, populations of big horn sheep thrive on the reclaimed areas near the mountain mines, and active farming takes place on reclaimed prairie mines within a few years after reclamation activities are completed.

Coal companies are working cooperatively with communities, government, and other stakeholders to ensure that their activities have as little and as short-lived an impact on the environment as is possible. It only makes sense, as "coal companies" are made up of regular, working people who must live in the same area, breathe the same air, and face the same environmental conditions as everyone else. Their involvement and concern for their local environment is proved through the development of cleaner burning plants, new reclamation techniques, proactive wildlife management, and a variety of other initiatives.