WCA welcomes latest World Energy Outlook report

Responding to this report, Benjamin Sporton, CEO of the WCA expressed his confidence that coal is to continue to play a fundamental role in global energy supply. He urged countries using coal to do so but with the most efficient and cleanest low emission coal technologies available.

The WEO report notes that in line with emissions reduction, increased efficiencies of coal-fired power plants around the world have resulted in significant reductions in CO2 emissions.

Sporton said: “It is not surprising that the IEA projects that 3/4 of all new coal plants entering into operation over the next 25 years will use either supercritical or ultra-supercritical technology. We at the WCA have been advocating for this and it’s why we set up the global Platform for Accelerating Coal Efficiency (PACE) to help raise the global average efficiency of coal-fuelled power plants and, in effect, to minimise CO2 emissions. Increased levels of financing could lead to even greater levels of coal efficiency and therefore further reductions in emissions.” 

“Ultimately though, as the report points out, carbon capture and storage (CCS) will be critical to global climate objectives and will play an important role in ensuring a sustainable future for coal,” Sporton added.

The report highlights the need to accelerate the deployment of CCS to ensure it becomes commercially viable.

Sporton concluded: “Coal producers are important stakeholders in driving CCS deployment and have worked to enhance the deployment and commercialisation of CCS through initiatives such as Australia’s COAL21 Fund. We alone cannot drive commercialisation, we need enhanced partnerships - that’s why I have been calling for greater CCS ambition at COP23 in Bonn.” 

 

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/power/16112017/wca-welcomes-latest-world-energy-outlook-report/