Advantages and Disadvantages of coal as a source of energy

Burning coal

 Advantages

• Relatively high energy amount.
• Fairly plentiful with global estimate use of 4 000 years.
• Employment creation in mining, processing, burning and distribution.
• Has many other industrial uses.
• Relatively cheap energy source.

Disadvantages

• Non-renewable in the end.
• Environmentally unfriendly through air, water and land pollution from mining.
• A health hazard.
• Expensive to run through mining and transporting to plants.
• Cannot power vehicles unless expensive liquefication and gasification are done.
• It is bulky and dirty hence difficult to handle.
• Has generally a low energy content and as a result inefficient.
• Leads to quick wear and tear of machinery.

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