as many people
as possible enjoying
a better quality of life.
can make a meaningful
contribution to a sustainable future,
and we need to shift perception
and awareness of coal’s potential.
Annually, 4.3 million people die from household pollution.UN Secretary-General Report ’Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals’, July 2017
Global progress needs reliable, affordable and sustainable energy solutions.
Increased access to electricity, clean cooking fuels and technologies can save lives and improve living standards.
Electricity demand is expected to rise 60% by 2040.
We cannot replace 37% of the world’s global power supply overnight.
Which means that coal will remain a significant power source for decades.
Complex solutions are needed to ensure universal energy access.
As a proportion of global electricity supply, wind and solar energy may increase from 5% to 19% by 2040.
Each new wind turbine requires at least 200 tonnes of coal for the production of steel and cement.
Is coal just for burning?
Increasingly, coal will be gasified and liquefied for use as machine fuel and even ethanol.
Coal use in industry is expected to rise 20% by 2040.
World’s first plant producing ethanol from coal, China.
Photo credit: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
