Electric Generation and concessions for practicality (cost, economic, state, rates)

[PacoMartin]

Of the three fossil fuels used to generate electricity , natural gas releases the least amount of carbon dioxide per KWh generated. Naturally it has replaced coal for the last three decades. Coal may be the cheapest fuel, but the environmental cost is way too high.

Petroleum is hardly ever used as it releases almost the same amount of Carbon Dioxide as coal while costing a lot more than coal.

Pounds of fuel per KWh
0.91 Natural gas 1,358,047 Electricity generation million kWh in 2019 for US
2.21 Coal: 947,891 Electricity generation million kWh in 2019 for US
2.13 Petroleum 15,471 Electricity generation million kWh in 2019 for US (Hawaii is only state where petroleum is primary fuel)

The exception to the rule is Hawaii. Hawaii is too far away to make shipping coal economical, it can't connect to pipelines so it NEVER uses natural gas, and it has no nuclear power stations. Hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and municipal waste simply can't come close to meeting demand, so it is the only state that uses a large amount of petroleum (even Texas does not have petroleum power plants).

Hawaii has some of the most rabid eco-warriors in the nation, yet they understand that today they have the highest electrical rates in the nation by far, and shutting down the petroleum plants would create an unsustainable crisis.

On some months California has the highest electric rates for continental US (not including Hawaii and Alaska). Internal Combustion Engines are far more damaging to the environment than natural gas power plants. As a concession to the laws of physics wouldn't it make sense to prioritize. If you are going to replace internal combustion vehicles then don't try and replace natural gas electrical plants at the same time.