Article published Sep 20, 2007

Plant pollutants

The following numbers have global, national and local implications.

According to the Earth Policy Institute, 40 percent of carbon dioxide emitted worldwide from the burning of fossil fuels comes from electricity generation. The second largest source is transportation, at 21 percent. Thus it is even more necessary to demand efficiency from new power plants than from new vehicles, boats and planes.

Unfortunately, the dirtiest source of electricity may dominate for much (if not all) of this century. In his book "Big Coal," Jeff Goodell states that a new coal plant is rising every ten days in China. In the U.S., where the combustion of coal generates half of the nation's power already, there are plans to build 150 or so additional coal plants.

Indeed, the prominence of coal in current energy plans bodes ill for any hope of stabilizing the climate. Despite widespread efforts to go green, Goodell states that global carbon dioxide emissions today rise at a rate of more than 2.5 percent annually — up from less than 1 percent in 2000. And according to a recent Energy Department report, U.S. emissions will rise by one third from 2005 to 2030.

From just East of Great Falls, the proposed Highwood Generating Station would emit nearly three million tons of global warming pollutants per year, according to the Montana Environmental Information Center. That is exorbitant. If planners will not implement technology to lower carbon emissions substantially, potential customers should shop elsewhere for cleaner sources of electricity.

— Craig M. LaCasse, Great Falls