The role of coal in energy balance of APEC economies for the period till 2040

摘要

According to the results of the Study, APEC region continues to be a major player in the global coal industry. Even in the period of “Golden age for natural gas”, the coal industry continue to be the main fossil fuel based industry in the region.Driving forces in the coal sector of APEC include those with positive impacts, such as economic growth, urbanization, market development, and technology breakthroughs. Among others, and those that have negative impacts like environment and social concerns. Coal industry should accelerate the deployment of advanced coal combustion technologies, coal beneficiation technologies and coal mine methane recovery and utilization technologies. Improving economics of coal liquefication technologies and integrated gasification combined cycle for power generation will allow to decrease environment and social concerns.Depending on the strength of these driving forces, APEC coal development industries and utilization policies may undergo different transformations, even that APEC may see a Renaissance of the coal industry in the forecasting period.PERC continue develop and support APEC cooperative activities on the coal industry development as coal is and will remain the dominant energy resource in APEC for the period up to 2040.