The study “The Future of Coal: Clean Coal Technolo- gies and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)” by Dr Frank Umbach addresses the global and European dimensions of CCS – the opportunities but also the challenges associated with this new technology that may spark a revolution in our future energy policies.

Its starting-point is the realization that coal is not an outdated, disappearing source of energy. Quite con- trary to the predominant perception in Europe, coal is in fact the second-most important source of energy after oil globally, largely due to high consumption rates in emerging countries. And coal is still on the rise – the International Energy Agency projects a fur- ther increase in coal use and states in its World Energy Outlook 2011 that, with no change in policies, coal consumption could even overtake oil by 2035. Since coal is here to stay, at least over the medium-term, it is necessary to point out that it should not be demonized as an energy source. Instead, new and innovative so- lutions are needed to maximize its energy potential while keeping environmental costs to a minimum. We shall have to live with oil, coal, and gas for a long time; therefore it is necessary to work for the “greening of fossil fuels”.

Given the twin challenges of achieving long-term energy security, on the one hand, and mitigating the effects of climate change, on the other, this study highlights the potential for coal in conjunction with CCS technologies to actually help address both simul- taneously. (excerpt of study preface by Friedbert Pflüger, Director EUCERS)

click here for downloading the EUCERS Strategy Paper No.2 – The Future of Clean Coal and CCS