Energy Expert: Coal is Here to Stay

" politically correct right now but is Warren Buffett's investment really a bet on coal Burlington northern -- in the coal industry. In fact it carry nearly 300 million tons of coal last year and by its own estimation. -- enough coal provide power to power up one out of every ten American homes. Even many pro environmental energy experts admit that coal is simply not going anywhere anytime soon. One of those experts is Scott Edward Anderson he is founder of green skeptic dot com. -- Scott listen cold and a tough spot right because it is the industry that everybody loves to skate yet. It is still our largest power production. Commodity. What do you make -- this is this a long term -- popular not on the viability of coal."

" I think that's very possible in coal still supplies over half of our electricity needs. And I I really believe that it can't get it do we really can't get that fast and furious on alternatives in order to meet those needs the needs are going to grow. I think Buffett sees that I also think it's a compliment to his ownership of mid American energy which it operates eleven coal fired plants in the country. And you -- in addition to that it it could be in very well be. Part of you know his thinking about the future transportation as energy prices rise."

" Now -- good point about an American may be Warren Buffett is becoming sort of a vertically integrated. Energy holding company into himself a what can we read Scott about the future of just energy as a whole wherever we get the energy from. One thing is clear right is that this nation will need much much more energy production capacity over the next twenty to thirty years. You think coal again however unpopular is going to be part of that."

" Yeah I mean I I haven't been very popular on the subject because I September realist on this I do think that caused going to stick around there's a lot of it in the ground. I think what's interesting about this is that Burlington northern actually -- some of the cleanest coal in the country coming out of that powder river basin in Montana and Wyoming. And you know I I think that the it's really going to be an all out effort we're going to need there's no one silver bullet. It's going to have to require we're going to require. You know silver machine gun -- him to get this the the energy needs met that's not only United States but globally."

" Well I'm sure not that popular among your brother for using that term is clean and coal in the same sentence. Well I think clean coal you know it today it's -- it's it's a myth but we really do need to take some steps to make some investments. Do some research and development. And try to figure out if we can make cool clean in the future because it is going to be around for awhile and to be fair to Warren Buffett have been if you want to railroad you mean whether or not you you gotta haul wind turbine blades right I mean you could put some. A propane gas cars are natural gas cars on the rail. Perhaps it's simply an energy play. In the long term and less -- a direct Coldplay."

" That could be it's also one of the largest green haulers in the country as well and and again if you look at the future of energy prices especially liquid fuels you're talking about you know long haul trucking. That could be a dinosaur in the future you could move a lot by rail this is one of the you know highly distributed systems in the country. You can you know use short haul trucking which could have smaller vehicles they could have maybe even hybrid vehicles. This could be you know long term play from his."

" The -- necessarily get power always local for a variety of reasons whether it's available Lander natural resource access. The rail industry likes to hold itself out and say yeah we use less diesel fuel. On a similar basis to a truck but yet I guess the truck and missiles say -- still using diesel fuel. We're of rail fit into the environmental story."

" Well I mean if you look at some of the other major real manufacturers -- in terms of the engines they're they are trying to make them cleaner GE is that has been involved in that for a long time there's a there's a number of of solutions out there that are are coming. And I think that it is going to take this all out effort. To really make a difference and really move us into this new green economy. They had to get a studio understand -- Philly transit workers are on strike Scott. Well I took -- septa regional rail which is the light rail system in Philadelphia they are not on strike but yes here. Here in Philadelphia just after the World Series gave five ended last night that they they went on strike so. But the regional -- still operating all right Scott Edward Anderson thank you very much appreciate it."