Ukraine weans itself from (Russian) natural gas (to coal)

[jpak]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/energy/4447104.html

KIEV, UKRAINE — The warnings in Ukraine verged on the apocalyptic when Russia sharply raised prices for natural gas a year ago. Many feared factories would close, leading to mass layoffs and grinding industry to a halt. But Ukraine's economy leaped ahead, its businesses quickly adapting to the higher costs.

<snip>

Ukraine was the largest gas importer of the former Soviet countries, able for years to ignore its wasteful habits because of the ready supply of cheap gas that Moscow had provided. But once Russia forced the price hikes, Ukrainian industry took action.

Following the lead of competitors in Asia and the West, Ukraine's big metallurgical plants began chucking out gas-guzzling furnaces for those that use pulverized coal.

<snip>

Officials also say coal deserves a wider look. Some estimates suggest that Ukraine has the ninth-largest coal reserves in the world.

<more>

edit: Thanks for nothing Pootie Poo...

[GliderGuider]

1. Well, look on the bright side

The soot adds to the Global Dimming that's keeping Global Warming in check, and the heavy metal pollutants in the exhaust will help reduce the human population that's the root cause of the whole mess. See, inside every (smoke) cloud there's a silver lining.

This is the first confirmation of the Peak Oilers' prediction that declining NG will increase coal use.

We are so screwed.

[jpak]

2. It's not really due to natural gas depletion - but Russia's greed

Ukraine's CO2 emissions were prolly lower when they were burning Russian gas (yes, they were extremely inefficient, but CO2 emissions from NG are much lower than for coal on an equivalent energy basis).

Pootie Poot didn't do no one no favors no how...