At the Univ. of Wyoming (UW), researchers have developed a method to convert coal powder into graphite using a simple microwave oven. In 2019, burning coal accounted for 11% of total U.S. energy consumption, mainly for generating electric power.
However, while coal is an efficient source of energy, burning it can emit greenhouse gases that can contribute to climate change. (For more information on climate change, please see our special digital issue “Thinking About Climate,” at aiche.org/cep/climate-issue.)
Globally, governments and citizens are striving for a future that relies on renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. As a result, there has been an uptick in global capital investment and scientific research on renewable energy sources, as well as alternative, sustainable applications for nonrenewable resources such as coal.
“The use of coal, in the long run, is expected to decrease,” says TeYu Chien, a researcher at UW. “This trend impacts any economy that relies on coal production, such as the state of Wyoming. Finding alternative uses of coal is critical to ensuring that the...
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