JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The World Coal Association (WCA) has called for greater investment in cleaner coal technologies – including high-efficiency, low-emissions (HELE) coal plants and carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) facilities – to meet growing global energy demand and alleviate energy poverty.

The appeal came as the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast coal use to grow by around 17% in the next 20 years.

WCA acting CEO Benjamin Sporton said in a statement that the organisation recognised the “vital” role that all low-emission technologies could play and would promote their adoption through the recently created Platform for Accelerating Coal Efficiency (Pace).

“Pace’s vision is for the most efficient power plant technology possible to be deployed when coal plants are built. The platform’s objective is to raise the global average efficiency of coal-fired power plants and so minimise carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, while maintaining legitimate economic development and poverty alleviation efforts,” he outlined.

According to Sporton, increasing the average efficiency of the global coal fleet from the current level of 33% to 40% could be done with off-the-shelf technology currently available.

“This would make a significant contribution to global efforts, saving around 2 Gt of CO2 a year – roughly equivalent to India’s total yearly emissions,” he noted.

The WCA argued further that calls for coal divestment ignored the global role played by coal and the potential offered by HELE and CCUS technologies.

“It is essential that responsible investors actively engage with the coal industry. All low-emission technologies are needed to meet climate targets.

“We cannot meet our energy needs, tackle energy poverty and reduce global emissions without using all options available to us, including low emissions coal,” said the association.

According to the IEA, CCUS could deliver 14% of cumulative greenhouse-gas-emission cuts through to 2050, while climate change action would cost an additional $4.7-trillion without CCUS.