one reason I frame it that way, in terms of the geo political argument, and indeed proves your point as well, about coal usage for most current Electricity use in the States, is that here in Oregon, we have 1 stinking coal plant and it is in the process of being phased out, even after they spent 150+ million retrofitting it with scrubbers a few years back...
I grew up in the Columbia basin and Oregon is self sufficient on hydro power from that alone. So self sufficient in fact, that a good chunk is being sent to California along the Pacific Intertie [google it] right down to LA.
One could make the argument that Oregon is paying the penalty for California's poor use of infrastructure, while California gains a cheap power source, from the grid. Oregon's bills are paid as a positive, possibly, since it is excess and we have very little population statewide.
Oregon is also a part of a bi-state effort that effectively wiped out was was known as the Salmon Superhighway, so there is that to contend with in terms of hydropower....
I sat four years on a state board that was re-licensing a Native American Tribes dam on an Oregon river. The dam makes a fair amount of power, but was originally intended for irrigation as parts of Oregon are in the Great Basin [sad but true]. It also wiped out an indigenous bull trout run that was one of the most prolific on a inland Western United States river. The re-licensing addressed this fact, actually was basically an integral part, with new techniques never used before in dam for fish passage. If you have read the news in the last ten years, the USF&W has had a serious boner for bull trout habitat restoration.
So know we really have this fish issue tied up in the electricity issue and makes this thing that much more complex. Hell, there is a plan in works to remove the lower 4 dams of the Snake River, a 2,000 mile long trib of the Columbia. Hell's Canyon, baby!
My point is, even though this is a state by state issue, would be be better off with less reliance of the grid, no matter the source of input?
Community grids seem more apt, more repairable and even possible more DIY in times of trouble, god forbid.
I also advocate for more efficiency, less redundancy, less of profile, etc etc, passive heating for all homes etc etc...
and another low impact source could be Solar mirrors focusing on Stirling Engine prototypes. The stirling was developed in England and can use solar and just about anything else combustible really, as a fuel source. It is a two cylinder engine which uses hot and cold to repel each other, basically making an engine/piston motion in the process.
I believe that somewhere along the Ca/Nv border is a proto field online currently or was.
lastly......
I am very skeptical about the free power and magnetics theories, but I wonder how in the hell we are not tearing apart Tesla's concepts on Earth grounding and magnetism as a viable power source. Is it possible? perhaps, me thinks more than perhaps, but that is another conversation unto itself. Is it fucking kooky beyond all belief? perhaps.
I hope I didn't come off with a snarky vibe. You are one of the good RG's yo! RG4L
A majority of coal use for electricty in CO right? I lived in Aurora for a year in 87, ah Fitzsimmons army hospital, I was a brat.