The facts: Coal-generated power equals affordable electricity in the U.S.

As leaders from around the globe prepare to convene next month in Copenhagen for the U.N. Climate Change Conference to consider how to best use our energy resources in the coming decades, let’s take a moment to consider how critical coal is to our energy future.

In addition to being our most abundant domestic energy source, coal is also our most affordable fuel. Here’s why it must remain a part of our energy future:

•Coal generates electricity at about one-third the cost of other fuels.

•Twenty-three of the 25 power plants in the U.S. that have the lowest operating costs – and therefore provide power to their consumers at the lowest prices – are fueled by coal, according to an electric power industry journal.

•Coal prices are expected to fluctuate between $1.40 and $1.50 per million Btu (in 2004 dollars) through 2030, based on forecasting by the Energy Information Administration. Meanwhile, the EIA predicts natural gas prices of $6.26 and petroleum prices of $7.61 per million Btu for the same time period.

•Generating electricity in 2025 using carbon-capture technology will be equal to today’s cost of new power generation without carbon capture, according to the Department of Energy.

As world leaders attempt to forge an agreement that seeks to reverse the effects of climate change while at the same time providing the energy dependability that millions count on, these facts indicate that coal must be part of the solution.

Let us know what you think.