Here & There Column 5-27-08

Coal Stoves Are Becoming More And More Popular

There definitely will be no holidays for gas and heating oils come next fall and the trend to higher and higher prices to heat your home and business is turning many winter residents to coal stoves.
A review of our local telephone yellow pages list companies selling both coal stoves and coal.
While we wait for research and market development of renewable energy technologies coal is becoming the king of alternative fuels with coal companies making it easier to purchase their product in 40, 50 and 100 pound bags.
Advanced technology has made its way into the coal stove industry where various manufacturers are stating that their stoves are ergonomically designed and easy to use.
Coal stove manufacturers say that all customers have to do is add coal to the hopper every two to three days, set the variable temperature control and ever 1 to 2 days empty the ash pan.
Defined by coal stove manufacturers as the alternative heating source they have put out the claim that coal stoves offer tremendous fuel cost savings. One company claims their coal stoves (depending on the model) deliver up to 85,000 BTU's which is sufficient to heat a homo of up to 1800 square feet.
Because of the tremendous coal reserves available right here in America and the ever increasing risk that conventional sources of fuel could be interrupted at any time, using a coal stove as the primary or supplemental source of heat also gives us the assurance that we will be able to heat our home or business any reasonable prices.
In conversation with a number of Sullivan County folks we have found several who have already purchased coal stoves and a like number who are considering getting one installed before next fall.
With alternative fuels under study there appears to be so much secrecy and behind the scenes maneuvering surrounding alternative fuels that we are somewhat amazed that the general public has not received very much information about movements in Congress that could push legislation to subsidize coal as the king of alternative fuels.
Some have over the years labeled coal as a dirty four-letter word but with gas and oil fuel prices continuing to rise environmental groups are starting to lose some of their power to stop the reborn growth of coal as an alternative fuel.
Can we here in America imagine a world where our country runs on energy from Middle America instead of the Middle East. There are a number of key politicians who are said to be champions of coal-to-liquid fuels.
It indeed is very factual that the huge coal reserves of the United States could indeed provide a substitute for foreign oil and the technology to convert coal into liquid fuel is well-established.
The time appears right for us to realize the importance of coal as an alternative to foreign oil and all of us need alternative fuels but we wonder if America has the will to be one of the great energy centers of the world?
We can because we do have the resources right under our feet.