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ASEAN ministers: Coal technology key to Paris deal success
I am often asked — especially since the Paris Agreement — is it not better to use climate finance to fund renewable technologies?
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Projections forecast coal to increase its share in power generation from 32 percent in 2014 to 50 percent in 2040. (Shutterstock/File)
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t last month’s ASEAN energy ministers’ meeting in Manila, representatives from across the region confirmed that coal and, more specifically, high efficiency coal, is the fuel of choice for Southeast Asia.
Projections forecast coal to increase its share in power generation from 32 percent in 2014 to 50 percent in 2040. During the talks the preference for coal among regional economies was explained by two factors: accessibility and affordability.
Coal is widely available and therefore promotes power supply. In addition to reliability, high efficiency coal is — and will continue to be — the most affordable option to meet electricity demand growth for many economies, while reducing emissions.
Cleaner coal technologies like high efficiency coal reduce or eliminate pollutant emissions, such as CO2, oxides of sulfur, nitrogen and particulate matter.
These technologies allow for uninterrupted electricity: unlike renewables, the technology is not subject to the whims of weather. Nor does it require the development of complex pipeline infrastructure like gas.
Access to this reliable modern energy drives economic growth which promotes opportunity for local populations. China — represented by senior government officials at this meeting — is a remarkable example of the role that affordable coal can play in improving access to energy and supporting economic development.
Over the last three decades, according to the World Bank, 600 million people have been lifted out of poverty and connected to the electricity grid; China has effectively achieved universal access to electricity. The link between access to affordable power from coal, economic growth and prosperity is clear.
