[tadfisher]

Not only that, but will the net effect be positive if this device is powered by, say, a coal-burning electrical plant?

[jashephe]

Not sure why you're being downvoted; this seems like a totally legitimate concern. Depending on the efficiency, you might end up just moving the pollution to a different location.

[SCHiM]

>you might end up just moving the pollution to a different location.

Still if one is convinced that, for whatever reasons, pollution cannot be helped. This could be a good thing.

[Scene_Cast2]

Taking this one step further, can these clean the exhaust air from coal plants?

[varjag]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baghouse

[eru]

Yes, and we don't have to speculate, you can look up the efficiencies.

[the8472]

The article states it's powered by wind power.

[Pyxl101]

... which was manufactured using energy from a coal-burning electrical plant :-)

All of the green energy types (wind, electric cars) should be examined in the context of their manufacturing costs in addition to their cost to operate. (For example, smelting aluminum requires a great deal of energy.)

[eru]

Not only the green energies: the coal plant also had to be built and the coal dug up.

(For wind turbines, the energy bilance is strongly positive.)