If the Greenland
ice melts, the sea will rise by 7 metres. These sketches show how the east
coast of China could look if all the Antarctic ice eventually melts. While this
could take many years the worst damage will come early on as all coastal towns
will be under water with more severe storm weather.
The light blue areas are those that would be flooded.
China plans 5,000 MW wind generation by 2010 and 30,000 MW by 2020. Total electrical generation capacity in 2007 approx 60,000 MW (ref 158).
Chinas problem with underground coal fires.
Thousands of natural underground fires cover 720 sq km, consume 220 million tonnes coal each year & produce 1% of all CO2 from fossil fuels in the world or the same as all the cars and lorries in the US. In the past 50 years Xinjiangs coalfield firefighting service has extinguished 34 long term coal fires including one that has been alight since 1874 (Qing Dynasty) and hope to extinguish another 28 by 2015.
One 50 yr fire was reported to have been extinguished after 3 years in Terak coalfield, Xinjiang. (T 22 11 07 p51). Holes are drilled to the coal seam, 100 meters down, water and slurry was pumped down to lower the temperature and the surface covered to starve the fire of oxygen.
Low grade coal can combust spontaneously at 30 - 40 deg C where the coal can react with Oxygen in the air. The surface can cave in above swallowing roads, houses etc.
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