Blizzards and Coal Shortages Strain China’s Rail Network

From the New York Times' Blizzards and Coal Shortages Strain China’s Rail Network by David Lague

'After blizzards disrupted coal deliveries, acute electricity shortages across a swath of central and southern China have exposed the fragility of transportation networks in the world’s fastest-growing major economy . . . . '

The article goes on to discuss China's abundant coal resources, surging energy requirements, transportation bottlenecks, and spot shortages.

The point to be made however, is that without the necessary infrastructure to transport, produce, and provide energy, an energy resource (regardless of emissions, expense, abundance, and type) is worthless.

A similar situation occured following the South's big hurricanes several years ago; vastly reducing our refining capabilities. Similarly, a vast majority of America's coal is transported on one or two rail corridors. These corridors commonly close for short weather delays but never for extended periods. Certainly these comparisons are trite with respect to China's but make the same point.