Energy Production of Coal
Coal is British Columbia’s third largest export by value, and has a long history that dates as far back as 1865. The coal industry provides direct employment at the coalmines and coal cleaning plants, and indirect employment on the trains that haul coal to Prince Rupert and Greater Vancouver, as well as the loading facilities. The coal industry first started at the coalfields on Vancouver Island, and soon after continued to the East Kootenay region. Until the end of the 19th century, most of the coal produced on Vancouver Island was exported to California. As coal was displaced by oil in the California market, Vancouver Island coal production began to decrease, however at the same time production in the east Kootenay region expanded with most of its coal being used mainly by the railroads and industries. Following World War II, the railroads shifted to oil and it looked as if the coal industry would enter a period of terminal decline, with coal perhaps becoming a conditional reserve, because one if the necessary conditions weren’t being met.
Then in the early 1960s, a new market appeared for coal in Japan, where a rapidly growing iron and steel industry required large quantities of metallurgical coal. Production in the East Kootenay area increased, special loading facilities were built in Greater Vancouver and at Point Roberts, and later two new coalmines were opened near Tumbler Ridge. New port facilities were built at Prince Rupert. It is important to note, that the coal industry’s second revival, beginning around 1960, took place on a far larger scale than its first.
By the late 1980s problems were beginning to emerge in this new market, decreasing the rate of growth and eventually leading to a decline in the industry. Japan’s metallurgical coal requirements were shrinking due to a smaller iron and steely industry in concert with new technology, and increased competition was emerging from other suppliers, such as the USA, Australia, and South Africa, that placed British Columbia’s relatively expensive coal at a distinct disadvantage. Consequently the industry experienced extreme financial difficulties, leading to the closure of Balmer and Greenhills mines, and the temporary closure of the Quintette mine.
While the coal industry may have been experiencing recent decline, it remains a large, valuable industry. British Columbia’s coal consumption may increase through coal-fired thermal electricity generation stations. New technological advances could make coal more useable (less pollution), or lead to new mining processes that result in lower costs, making the industry more competitive. Unfortunately coal is a non-renewable resource that will become depleted at some point. Therefore, it is questionable policy to export coal at all costs when it could hold a much higher future value, perhaps when other forms of non-renewable energy such as natural gas and oil are further depleted. We produce large amounts of coal for export and prefer to import other forms of energy to meet our needs for energy. This allows British Columbia to consume cleaner, more convenient forms of energy. However, given the energy consumed in transporting energy resources such as coal, it is questionable whether this is positive from a global perspective.