Milagros Miranda, World Coal Association (WCA) Policy Director writes: “There is no doubt that the Paris Agreement delivered at last year’s COP21 negotiations represented a landmark accomplishment. The success of the Paris Agreement was founded on the national climate pledges submitted in the lead up to the event. Known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submissions will act as strategic roadmaps for climate action by incorporating environmental imperatives with economic and development objectives.
With the necessary level of support, as detailed in the INDC, Indonesia will reduce emissions by 41% against the business as usual scenario by 2030. To support the goals of universal access to energy, energy security, social and economic development, Indonesia will also increase coal-fired power generation by over 160% in the next decade.
In 2014, to support the deployment of high efficiency, low emission (HELE) technology in countries, such as Indonesia, the WCA established the Platform to Accelerate Coal Efficiency (PACE) concept. PACE seeks to drive the mobilisation of finance and technological to support HELE deployment. As an industry, we are committed to supporting countries, in particular developing countries that choose to use coal-fired power generation to do so in the most efficient manner and at the lowest emissions profile possible.
Indonesia is the world’s fourth-largest coal producer. As the country will continue to use coal to meet its increasing energy demand, it will need to deploy HELE coal technologies.
HELE coal technologies are important mitigation tools that will strengthen Indonesia’s ability to deliver its INDC commitments and implement the Paris Agreement, while supporting the delivery of electricity access for all its population.
As part of PACE, the WCA will be holding a workshop in Jakarta titled Building pathways for high efficiency low emissions coal technology in Indonesia. The workshop has two objectives:
1.To identify Indonesia’s challenges concerning HELE coal technologies deployment.
2.To elaborate a HELE roadmap for the country, identifying solutions and cooperative arrangements.
The workshop will promote knowledge and technology transfer to support development and deployment of HELE coal technologies, in particular supercritical and ultra-supercritical technologies.
Clearly, Indonesia requires a low emission pathway for coal to ensure the integration of climate, energy and economic policy. This begins with deployment of HELE power generation using technology that is available today. These facilities are being built rapidly and emit 25-33% less CO2 and significantly reduce or eliminate emissions, such as oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, and particulates.