Meeting the Challenges of Sustainable Development of Energy Through Clean Coal Technologies

The global energy requirement has grown at a phenomenal rate.The demand for coal will continue to remain as it is looked upon as the prime energy source for the coming future. Economic development and poverty alleviation depend on securing affordable energy sources and coal mining industry offers a bright future for the energy security in the Asia Pacific Region. However, direct use of coal leads to environmental pollution. The emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂), a principal greenhouse gas (GHG), is strongly related to the use of fossil fuel, especially coal, for energy production. A long-term projection for the Indian energy sector upto the year 2031–32 showed that CO₂ emissions from India are likely to increase much faster and reach 3.5 times the present value. A rise in the global temperature varying from 2°C to 3.5°C and a sea-level rise of 65 cm is also estimated by the year 2100. As coal will remain to be the prime energy source, this paper emphasizes on the need to develop clean coal technologies where coal can be refined in coal refineries to obtain different fractionated products having different quality — grade — class (QGC) of fuels. It also highlights the need to develop further clean coal technologies, such as integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) through hydrogen generation for zero emission. The use of ultra-clean coal in gas turbines directly will enhance the efficiency of power generation to 52–55 per cent from the existing efficiency of pulverized coal power generation of 33–38 per cent. This paper discusses the role of Mining Engineers for the promotion of clean coal technologies (CCT) in fulfilling energy demand in a sustainable manner. Brute force high pressure coal conversion processes will have to be replaced by the convenient and cost effective low atmospheric pressure processes. During the production of coal gas methane if CO₂ is injected suitably in coal seams it can release methane, which has double benefit in curbing global warming. Underground coal gasification (UCG) has a large potential to extend the lifetime of this resource, perhaps by a couple hundred years. UCG can also provide a clean energy source through carbon capture and storage techniques and it offers a unique option for CO₂ storage.The methodology, as discussed, may have formed a guideline to develop clean coal technologies, which can be applied at an industrial scale for various sites.