Re: Coal stocks fell today
In theory, a steel plant could use the carbon captured from firing its furnaces with natural gas. I don't know how difficult it would be to do that, but if this technology was developed it would have multiple benefits: it would not only eliminate the CO2 emissions that are captured, but eliminate the need for coal to be mined and shipped to the steel plant in the first place (natural gas transport is much cheaper, since it is done via pipelines)
Obviously capturing the CO2 isn't free, but it only needs to be cheaper than the cost of mining and shipping coal. If you charge in some form for CO2 emissions (cap & trade or whatever) it increases the chances the numbers work out in favor of doing this.
As a Berkshire Hathaway shareholder reducing the need for those mile long trains carrying coal cross country might cost me a little (for those who don't know, one of Buffett's major holdings is rail transport) but that's fine - that's why you diversify.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
