Methods of Ensuring Energy Security with the Use of Hard Coal—The Case of Poland

Aurelia Rybak and Aleksandra Rybak
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Aurelia Rybak: Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Aleksandra Rybak: Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 18, 1-25

Abstract: In this article, the authors present methods based on hard coal that may ensure energy security for European Union countries. The research was carried out based on the example of Poland. The main reason for which coal is being gradually withdrawn from the energy mixes in EU countries is its negative impact on the natural environment and the health of citizens and economic factors related to domestic fuel production. The authors propose the creation of energy–chemical clusters as a solution to these problems. It is assumed that the clusters would operate following the principles of the circular economy. We also propose methods for the optimization of the production and transport costs within the cluster. Then, we conduct profitability analysis of the proposed waste management methods. At the level of the designated cluster, using network algorithms enabled us to reduce the transport costs by at least 50%. It is possible to obtain rare earth elements (REEs) worth USD 22,970 from 1 Mg of ash. At the level of the analyzed cluster, this leads to an annual profit of USD 3.5 billion. The profit related to algae production at the cluster level is approximately USD 2.5 bn.

Keywords: energy cluster; optimization of cluster functioning; GIS; clean coal technologies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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