The Chairman of the World Coal Association, July Ndlovu, believes that abated coal has a crucial role in the long-term energy future of the world.
He spoke at the Southern African Coal Conference and emphasised the importance of coal in ensuring energy security in countries such as Asia, South Africa, and a large part of the African continent.
Ndlovu stated that the International Energy Agency predicts that by 2040, coal will be the largest single source of electricity for 22% of the world's population.
The coal industry is undergoing a transformation with participants across the coal value chain committing to an abated coal future using technologies such as High-Efficiency Low Emissions and Coal-to-Hydrogen equipped with Carbon Capture and Storage.
Ndlovu believes that up to 99% of coal emissions can be eliminated through current abatement technologies and that it is time to chart a new way forward for the valuable and versatile commodity.
