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Clean Coal? clearing some smoke

Sara Wolcott | Thursday 22nd October 2009

To be clear. I'm a R.E.G. - A Renewable Energy Gal - and proud of it. I've got a particular fondness for Renewable Energy Guys- men who can look at a wind turbine and know how its made, fix a solar panel and install a solar water heater. I've been saying that 'clean coal ain't clean' since I heard the phrase, believing that renewable is the solution and anything else is part of the problem for any kind of sustainable development. I also hope to take an airplane to see an old friend in China for Christmas (ie, I can be a hypocrite too).

But then I had a conversation with a man I respect who said how much he hates it when granola-eaters (me - and yes, I do love my granola, especially with yogurt and bananas) - are so darn closed-minded. I agreed wholeheartedly. But inwardly I shrunk back like I'd been stung. He'd hit close to home: I was anti-'clean coal', but I didn't even really know what 'clean coal' was. Not exactly good Sustainable Development Thinking!

Fortunately, the great thing about admitting one's ignorance (at least to oneself) is then you can rectify it. With a little help from google and SPRU at the University of Sussex, I found out a few things I didn't know about 'clean coal' - and about what it means for sustainable development.

1: 'Clean Coal' and 'carbon sequestering technologies' means a lot of different things. It's what some academics call a 'fuzzy' or 'boundary word', a word that allows different people (many of whom have a lot of power and influence) to talk together without always meaning the same thing. If you are really into clear, simple definitions, this can be difficult, but it can also be beneficial.

2. There really are gradations in the cleanliness of coal. These include making coal-fired facilities more efficient and 'end of pipe' to reduce emissions of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, which isn't exactly a nice-n-dandy chemical .There are quite a number of commercially available technologies that can make a serious impact right now, but the have not yet been taken up. For example, an 'advanced clean coal' factory emits 36% less CO2 than does Chinese coal-fired fleet (in 2006). That's a significant amount.

3. Carbon capture remains a future goal - something that we probably won't see for a number of years. The basics are all there, but it has yet to be done on the scale necessary for even one coal plant. And it's very expensive.

4. Often, coal companies in developing countries are not using the 'cleaner' and readily available technology. For them to do so, some sort of technology transfer is needed - and is possible. Making that technology transfer work is a two way street. Donor governments (like the UK) can't do it by themselves. Private firms in developing countries - as the main potential users - must be engaged in the process.

5. For sustainable development to be successful (and sustainable!) technology transfer isn't just about transferring technology - it's also about transferring - and translating to local contexts - the knowledge behind and around the technology, so it isn't just something people use, but something people can work with, fix, repair, build on and innovate from.

After considering some of these issues, I came back to what most articles on this topic start with: coal is a major source of energy. We are using it, whether I like it or not. Energy demand is expected to significantly increase in the next 20 years - especially from developing countries. I want to see a 'technological lockin' of renewable energy. But whenever and wherever coal plants are built - and right now, today, they are being built - I want to see them be as efficient as possible. images-11

As for coal sequestering? Well, I'm not yet convinced. I'd rather see that same amount of mental and financial energy go to developing renewable energy. But I'm just a sustainable development REG.

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