Panellists including (L-R) Bob Kamandanu, Motohiko Kato, Razak Majid, and Shigeru Kimura discuss clean, affordable electricity options while speaking at the Energizing the World with Clean Coal Technology roundtable at SIEW 2014.
By Congyi Tan
Long-term financial support schemes are vital to encourage greater adoption of clean coal technology, especially in energy-hungry Asia, panellists said at a roundtable discussion on Friday at Singapore International Energy Week 2014.
“Many projects are in the pilot or demonstration stage and will require funding to bring to the commercial stage,” said Bob Kamandanu, chairman of the Indonesia Coal Mining Association.
Coal, a relatively affordable and abundant fuel, provides cost-competitive electricity and greater energy security for many countries. Much of Asia still relies heavily on coal despite the growing importance of renewable energy sources, the panellists said, underscoring the importance of ensuring that carbon emissions are well managed to mitigate global warming.
“Clean coal technologies need to be deployed now in countries still using conventional coal,” said Han Phoumin, an energy economist at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.
In East Asia, coal will supply more than half of electricity by 2035, the panellists said, adding that the increase in its use is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
“There is tremendous opportunity for collaboration in research, mining and the usage of coal,” said Suresh Prabhu, a former federal minister of energy in India. “We will be using coal in the future, so if we are we should find out how to use it better.”
About Singapore International Energy Week (www.siew.gov.sg)
The 7th annual SIEW 2014 is the foremost platform for top policymakers, energy practitioners and commentators to discuss energy issues, strategies and solutions. SIEW brings together a robust line-up of world's leading conferences, exhibitions, roundtables and networking events to provide insights and perspectives on the emerging trends and innovations across the energy spectrum of oil & gas, clean and renewable energy, and energy infrastructure financing – in one week, one location. Please visit www.siew.gov.sg for further information.