Don’t Call It a Comeback…

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Think coal is an energy source of the past, a symbol of stagnant industrialism on its way out? Think again…

According to a report issued by the International Energy Agency, the future demand for energy derived from coal and fossil fuels will be even greater than that projected by last year’s World Energy Outlook report. Despite the recent increased emphasis on renewable energy around the globe, the proliferation of coal-burning power plants in developing countries such as China and India will drive the demand for coal up by “73 percent between 2005 and 2030.” What’s more, these new plants are unlikely to utilize cleaner coal-burning technology such as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). According to a recent article published by the Agence France-Presse (AFP), “The 663-page report was packed with alarming statistics based on a “reference scenario” in which energy consumption continues on current trends without government measures to reduce demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Under this model, energy demand increases by more than 50 percent up to 2030, with 84 percent of the new demand supplied from fossil fuels.” A more optimistic “alternative” model, which takes potential government measures into account, still projects a 25% increase in CO2 emissions by 2030.


Posted on Friday, November 9th, 2007 at 3:05 pm | Tagged in Energy, Global Warming | posted by Bill

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