Coal’s price is rising, but can it clean up?

A rival to costly oil waits in the wings if environmental issues can be overcome

With the oil price above $60 a barrel, dragging the cost of natural gas higher, and nuclear power – with one or two exceptions – still politically sensitive as well as economically controversial, the coal industry should be on a roll.

Although demand has surged, almost doubling the price on the global market in two years, coal is in a bind, particularly in developed economies. Regulators are slapping tougher emission limits on power plants burning coal and, while the technology exists to cope with the new regimes, its cost presents investors with a tough choice.

The Guardian