Clean coal technologies for a carbon-constraines world (Kessels/Bakker/Clemens, 05-2007)

Coal will continue to play a major role in the global energy system for the coming decades. Climate change mitigation policies and measures may put stricter caps on emission of greenhouse gases. This report analyses what role clean coal technologies (CCTs) can play in a world where carbon emissions are constrained and which policy frameworks are conducive to CCTs. For that purpose, future coal scenarios are analysed, as well as policy frameworks that encourage CCTs. The technical focus of this study is on supercritical pulverised coal combustion (SPCC), integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and CO2 capture and storage. From a scenario analysis involving major world regions it appears that CCTs have a significant potential for climate change mitigation. To date, the Kyoto Protocol has failed to encourage the implementation of CCTs within its mechanisms; however, Governments have increased support for carbon capture and storage (CCS). In current post-2012 climate policy regime proposals CCTs are likely to play a limited role. A separate agreement specifically targeting CCTs may be more effective and such an agreement is also introduced in this study.