Will Coal Depart or Will It Continue to Dominate Global Power Production during the 21st Century?

Abstract

This article considers whether coal must depart or whether it may still dominate power production during the 21st century, in view of the challenges implied by regional pollution reduction and global warming mitigation. Four main reasons are given for why, paradoxically, coal is likely to continue to have a high, and perhaps even increasing, share in global electricity generation this century: namely, (1) its large resource base; (2) the improving efficiency and competitivity of conventional and innovative coal technologies; (3) the employability of new coal technologies in conjunction with carbon capture and storage systems; (4) the improving economics of these advanced clean coal technologies. Governments, however, will need to provide the incentives required to stimulate the deployment of clean coal technologies.