Today, we played in the dirt! We took about an hour drive to CEZ, which is a business focused on energy generation. We started with a quick lecture about the coal processing plant and the future of the business and then took a plant tour. We then drove to the actual coal pit where we saw the mining in action and learned more about the mining process. The Czech Republic, and Europe in general, has aggressive energy goals to transition to cleaner sources of fuel. By 2040, they aim to be carbon neutral in their emissions. Coal is among the first sources of energy to be transitioned out because of how dirty it is.
While aiming for clean energy is important, it is also necessary to ensure that the energy needs of society can be met. This is not yet possible without coal, but by heavily investing in alternatives, we can move towards this goal. For the Ledvice Plant that we saw, it is higher in efficiency (around 42%), so it will likely be among the last coal plants to operate. Nuclear Power currently makes up about 55% of CEZ‘s energy portfolio, and they are working to increase that number as a replacement for coal.
The visit to CEZ demonstrates the responsibilities that engineers have in society. Although, they have ample access to coal and could keep using it, they recognize that it is not sustainable for the future and alternatives need to be developed. The mine also surprised me. I typically think of open mines as scarring the land and leaving it scrapped; however, they backfill the used mine as they move it forward. They also work on restoring the land by planting protected trees and monitoring the land to ensure it’s stable. We didn’t get quite as dirty as I thought we would.
Swanson School of Engineering 