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For many developing countries, especially those across emerging Asia, excluding coal from the energy mix is simply not an option because improved energy access drives
economic development.
According to the IEA's Energy Access Outlook 2017 report, nearly all of those who gained access to electricity worldwide in the last 16 years, did so through new grid
connections, mostly from fossil fuels – 45% of which came from coal. It currently provides 38% of the world's electricity and is essential in the production of 71.5% of the
world's steel and 70% of cement.
Rising coal use in Asia also highlights a need for greater focus on emissions reduction. This is why as an organisation, the WCA works with stakeholders to promote the
role that technology can play in helping coal-reliant countries to develop a pathway for zero emissions coal. This way countries can balance economic priorities with climate
objectives.
Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, the World Coal Association has encouraged and supported the 24 countries, representing half of the world's emissions, that identified a
role for cleaner coal technology within their climate pledges.
Raising capital for long-term energy infrastructure investments:
With this in mind, power producers need to raise project capital at the lowest cost possible in order to build energy infrastructure that will deliver reliable electricity at
affordable prices and, at the same time, have the required environmental controls to reduce emissions.
In less developed economies, however, raising this finance can present significant challenges as local capital markets may not support the type of long-term financing
required for energy infrastructure investments.
A number of international financial institutions, such as multilateral development banks (MDBs), have been established to address these challenges and promote growth in
emerging economies. Since 2013, however, the World Bank and several other similar bodies have adopted policies that concentrate lending on a narrow portfolio of
technologies, while excluding others. Support for coal-fuelled power, for instance, may only be given in 'rare and exceptional circumstances'.
The introduction of such measures appears at odds with the role coal-fuelled power is expected to play in many developing and emerging countries. In 2018, there was 492
GW of coal capacity under construction or in development globally, complementing the 2TW in operation.
Rather than curtailing demand for coal, there is growing evidence that the approach followed by the World Bank has created a void filled by alternative funding partners
that often may not apply the same stringent efficiency standards and environmental protections that MDBs have historically championed.
Supporting low emission coal technologies:
There is growing momentum towards reviewing international coal financing. The WCA would encourage any new approach to be based on these two-steps:
- Support the switch to best available high efficiency low emissions (HELE) technology: the construction of the most suitable HELE coal plant with modern emission
control technologies where that facilitates the delivery of commitments made by a country within their NDC under the Paris Agreement. Wherever practical, the involvement
of the World Bank or other MDBs in financing such projects should facilitate the inclusion of concepts of CCUS-readiness in plant design.
- Help drive the pathway to zero emissions from coal: engage with the relevant national government to support strategies for the development of CCUS technology as part
of that country's long-term climate action plan under the Paris Agreement.
The World Coal Association sees a critical role for the World Bank and other financial institutions in extending financing to encourage cleaner forms of power from coal.
Coal will have a continuing part to play in the global energy mix for decades to come. Accordingly, we should work to ensure the best available technologies are deployed.
ENERGY EDUCATION: MINING
Reforming World Bank policy also provides the opportunity to help drive zero emissions from coal by adopting long-term climate action plans that support the deployment of
carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS).
A MONTHLY UPDATE ON THE MINING INDUSTRY
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
ACE & WCA are Partnering for Clean Coal Technology
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
PAGE 26 MONDAY FEBRUARY 25 , 2019 MONDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2017 PAGE 19 Reducing emissions from coal: A role for the World Bank
A Monthly Update on the Coal Industry
ENERGY EDUCATION IN ACTION
Responsible coal use and the environment
‘Decision the result of a failure to build a genuine coalition on climate action...’
Producing energy invariably leads to some degree emissions and are widely deployed in both developed from either the fuel or air, leads to the formation of
of environmental impact. All sources of energy – and developing countries, including: nitrogen oxides. Technologies to reduce NOx Benjamin SportonWCA Chief Executive
fossil fuels, nuclear, renewables – have - Electrostatic precipitators (ESP) are the most widely emissions are referred to as either primary
Environment environmental impacts. used particulate control technology and use an abatement and control methods or as flue gas
electrical field to create a charge on particles in the flue treatment. Primary measures include the use of low
The use of coal for power generation is not
exempt from these impacts but coal has gas in order to attract them to collecting plates. NOx burners and burner optimisation techniques to
The Canadian coal industry is committed to operating in an demonstrated the ability to meet such challenges in - Fabric filters collect particulates from the flue gas minimise the formation of NOx during combustion.
environmentally responsible manner, and to continuously searching the past and the expectation is that it will as it passes through the tightly woven fabric of the bag. Alternatively technologies such as Selective
for ways to reduce or eliminate what impact it may have associated successfully meet future environmental challenges. Both ESP and fabric filters are highly efficient, Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Selective Non-
removing over 99.95% of particulate emissions.
with the mining and use of coal. Viable, highly effective technologies have been Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) lower NOx emissions
developed to tackle environmental challenges, - Wet scrubbers are used to capture both particulates by treating the NOx post-combustion in the flue
At the Mine Site
including the release of pollutants – such as oxides and SO2 by injecting water droplets into the flue gas to gas. SCR technology has been used commercially
WCA comments on the IEA's 2018 of sulphur (SOx) and nitrogen (NOx) – and form a wet by-product. The addition of lime to the for almost 30 years and is now deployed throughout
The environment is a fundamental consideration in the production,
water helps to increase SO2 removal.
the world, removing between 80-90% of NOx
particulate and trace elements, such as mercury.
- Hot gas filtration systems operate at higher
transportation and use of coal in Canada and the coal industry has
emissions at a given plant.
More recently, the focus has been on developing
initatives that address land use, waste, air and water quality, noise and deploying technologies to tackle carbon temperatures and pressures than conventional Trace elements
particulate removal technologies, eliminating the need
Coal is a chemically complex substance, naturally
dioxide (CO2) emissions.
and emissions.
World Energy Investment report environmental performance of coal-fired power for cooling of the gas, making them suitable for containing many trace elements including mercury,
Technologies are now available to improve the
modern combined-cycle power plants such as
selenium and arsenic. The combustion of coal can
Some of the ways that environmental impacts are reduced:
result in trace elements being released from power
Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC). A
stations for a range of pollutants. In many cases a
·
mining trucks have increased significantly in size reducing
the amount of trips needed to haul coal number of technologies are available to mitigate range of hot gas filtration technologies have been under stations with potentially harmful impacts to both
development for a number of years but further research human health and the environment. A number of
any given environmental impact.
· railway cars made of aluminum mean one locomotive can Particulates is needed to enable widespread commercial technologies are used to limit the release of trace
Particulate emissions are finely divided solid and deployment.
elements including coal washing, particulate
haul more coal using the same amount of fuel liquid (other than water) substances that are emitted Acid rain control devices, fluidised bed combustion, activated
A number of technologies, collectively known as flue carbon injection and FGDs.
· mining drills include dust collection systems from power stations. A number of technologies gas desulphurisation (FGD), have been developed to
have been developed to control particulate
· air quality and monitoring stations measure air quality on reduce SO2 emissions from coal use. These typically
use a chemical sorbent, usually lime or limestone, to
site remove SO2 from the flue gas. FGD technologies have
been installed in many countries and have led to
Several years before a mine begins operation, planning goes into enormous reductions in emissions.
how the mine can be reclaimed to the same or even better Reducing NOx emissions
conditions. Environmental impact assessments take place, public The combustion of coal in the presence of nitrogen,
consultations are held and thorough reviews are undertaken by
regulatory agencies at the provincial and federal level. Mining The Weekly Anchor and
companies are required to report on their reclamation plan and industry supporters of responsible energy
progress to the government.
More than 75 of the land disturbed by coal mining in Alberta has
been reclaimed.
At the Power Plant THE
The use of any natural resource for energy will have varying GERING WEEKLY
degrees of impact on the natural environment. Effective GRAVEL SALES ANCHOR
technologies have been developed to tackle environmental
challenges, including the release of pollutants – such as sulfer and 5040 3rd Avenue
nitrogen. More recently, the focus has been on developing and 780-723-5787
deploying technologies to tackle greenhouse gas emissions
associated with the use of coal, including carbon dioxide and
methane.





CRUSHED GRAVEL - PIT RUN - WASHED ROCK -


PEA GRAVEL - SAND - LOADERS - GRADERS
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