[COBOL2Java]

Or they could take those coal-fired plants out of mothballs.

Not a bad idea! I wonder where the jet stream goes when it leaves Europe, carrying the exhaust from all those coal-fired power plants?

[Zhang Fei]

Not a bad idea! I wonder where the jet stream goes when it leaves Europe, carrying the exhaust from all those coal-fired power plants?

I expect existing (mothballed) plants have the SO2 removed, so nobody really cares, except for global warming greenies. Coal accounts for 40% of the US's power, and we don't have any problems with acid rain. The issue with the EPA's mandates is its insistence that coal power stations reduce CO2 emissions. Those enhancements cost an arm and a leg, and make them uncompetitive with gas-fired power stations. Of course, if gas prices shoot up, then I see coal-fired stations getting built, with the CO2 emissions scrubbers.

[Zhang Fei]

In China, homes and offices burn coal for heat. I expect most of its air pollution problems come from small, inefficient and dirty heating systems, rather than power plants.