The global energy system faces many challenges in this century.

 

Electricity generation is a major contributor to economic and social development.

 

Coal will continue to play a vital role in electricity generation worldwide – while it currently supplies 40% of the world’s electricity, this figure will only drop one percentage point over the next three decades.

 

With the availability of abundant, affordable and geographically disperse reserves, coal is able to provide secure and reliable supplies of affordable energy worldwide.

 

Clean coal technologies have already achieved major advances in environmental performance, and new technologies are under development towards a 'zero emissions' future.