The Coal hating Herald-Tribune - but what is their alternative?

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune editorial board is against coal. In its editorial, "Clean coal's dirty secret" they attack coal mining. This is the old liberal tactic of making it impossible to mine for the United States' largest natural resource and thereby cutting off the supply of coal for power generation.

By doing this the Herald-Tribune has joined with Governor Charlie Crist in an anti-coal campaign. This is fine but neither the Herald-Tribune nor Governor Crist have put forth a comprehensive energy plan for the power deficit we are currently facing and future energy needs in Florida.

This makes for bad economic policy, bad social policy and bad energy policy.

What is the real impact of Governor Crist's carbon emissions cap executive order?

According to Energy Online, "Since taking office in January 2007, Florida Governor Charlie Crist has raised concerns regarding the threat of climate change and the use of fossil fuels, particularly coal.

In June, the FPSC reached a decision to not approve the two, 980-MW, coal-fired plants proposed by Florida Power and Light in Glades County. In July, a group of community-owned, power entities (Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA), JEA, Reedy Creek Improvement District, and the City of Tallahassee) suspended permitting activities for the Taylor Energy Center, an 800-MW, coal-fired power plant proposed to be built in Taylor County, Florida.

In August, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) denied the site certification for Seminole Electric Cooperatives planned addition of a 750 MW, coal-fired unit at existing Seminole Generating Station in Florida.

In October Tampa Electric, the principal subsidiary of TECO Energy, announced that it will cancel plans to construct a coal plant in Florida. In July, the utility filed an application with the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) to demonstrate the need to construct the proposed 632-MW Polk Unit 6, a coal-fired power plant.

With the cancellation by Tampa Electric, roughly 4,150 MW of coal-fired generation planned to be operational in Florida before 2014 - i.e., over the next six years - will need to be replaced by alternative supplies, greater energy efficiency, or conservation. "

There you have it. Florida now has a deficit of 4,150 MW of power. And it only took Governor Crist one year to do this. Just think what he can do in his second year!

Floridians and Florida businesses expect and demand cheap, reliable electricity. This is a major part of the engine that keeps our economy strong.

So, what are the alternatives?

The Herald-Tribune and Governor Crist have no real solutions other than renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation. None of these or all of these taken together will not come close to meeting our current 4,150 MW power deficit, let alone meet future energy needs.

So what is on the horizon for Florida? Power outages like California, higher electric bills, power rationing, brown outs and more government intrusion in our lives.

Of course there is a solution that no one has brought up - nuclear power. Dr. Meg Lowman and I are proponents of nuclear power. Dr. Lowman also likes fusion power. In a recent class project for her New College students they were asked to look at energy solutions for Florida. They came up with nuclear and wind power over solar power. The problem with wind power is that it is costly and unreliable (when the wind stops or dies down, no power is generated). That leaves nuclear.

Currently it takes 10-15 years to get a nuclear power plant permitted. That means if we started today the first power plant won't even be permitted until 2018.

Coal is a cheap, reliable and clean means of power generation. To take this off the table now without a solution is at best misguided and at worst a disaster for Florida. What do you think?