ASEAN can slow growth of coal power with ‘progressive’ policy, tech — experts

MEMBER states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) can significantly reduce their dependence on coal to generate power if they assume a “progressive” stance that includes a policy towards greater energy efficiency and the use of more renewable energy technologies.

Beni Suryadi, senior research analyst at the ASEAN Centre for Energy, said based on the institute’s projections, the region’s installed capacity from coal would increase by less than three times to 124 gigawatts ( GW) by 2040 from 63 GW in 2015.

In between those years, or by 2025, the level would increase to 78 GW in 2025, assuming a progressive scenario or a higher-ambition level, he told participants of the ASEAN Energy Business Forum at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

This compares with a businessas- usual scenario that would see the same 63- GW level in 2015 growing by nearly double to 119 GW by 2025 and to 267 GW by 2040.

The energy center’s projections highlight ASEAN’s continued reliance on coal, which the resource’s advocates said should be seen positively given the region’s steady economic growth that would require a stable and affordable power source.

Benjamin Sporton, chief executive of the World Coal Association, said concerns about emissions brought about by burning coal to produce energy could be softened by adopting cleaner technologies.

He said coal could enhance its negative image by focusing on lower- emission coal technologies. He said ASEAN is historically using older technologies.

“The challenge that coal has is obviously it has CO ( carbon dioxide) emissions and also can have emissions that cause concerns about air quality,” he said. “But the technologies exist to very significantly reduce emissions of CO and concerns about air quality.”

“What I think is important is to make sure that as ASEAN countries, as the Philippines builds more coal for power generation that… that we’re using the right technologies,” he said.

He said supercritical or ultrasupercritical coal power plants — what he called the “default” technologies for more advanced economies — could improve public perception and foster wider acceptance of coal as a fuel that provides affordable and reliable electricity.

“We just need to make sure it provides sustainable electricity,” he said. —