25 February 2021Dr Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Energy

The ASEAN Centre for Energy and the World Coal Association have signed a three-year agreement, which strengthens both parties’ ongoing commitment to advocating for economic growth within the ASEAN region and the enabling role of clean coal technologies in providing access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy.

Our agreement recognises the important role of coal in supporting economic growth across ASEAN and recognises the essential role of clean coal technology.

The ASEAN has the right to affordable sources of clean energy to build societies and economies. Coal provides the energy and raw material essential to industries such as global steel, cement production, hydrogen, and many of the everyday materials we take for granted. Moreover, coal-fired power plants that are equipped with clean coal technologies are essential to provide a stable supply of electricity for industrialisation. It is supporting people’s livelihoods, providing jobs, alongside affordable electricity to support businesses and services, such as healthcare and education.

Coal is one of the most important resources within the region and its use is growing, particularly for robust and flexible power generation.

The role of the ASEAN Centre for Energy is to work with governments and key stakeholders to support the development and deployment of clean coal technologies to provide this energy source cleanly and sustainably.

ASEAN’s regional cooperation in the energy sector is guided by a policy document called ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) and under the APAEC Phase II: 2021 – 2025, the key strategy for coal and clean coal technology programme is “to optimise the role of CCT in facilitating the transition towards sustainable and lower emission development”.

We must ensure that the ASEAN Member States have continued access to the reliable and affordable energy they need for the future.

According to the 6th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO6), coal’s role in power generation will continue to dominate the fuel input mix by 41% in 2040.

This reliance on coal reflects the region’s considerable reserves and coal’s low cost, both of which make it economically attractive to provide electricity in ASEAN countries.

Economies in the ASEAN region are growing rapidly and require significant amounts of clean energy to power their growth and meet emissions targets.

While many nations have decided to move away from coal, this is not the case for countries in the ASEAN region. ASEAN member states will continue to look to coal to power their development, because it is an affordable, secure, and clean energy.

Michelle Manook, Chief Executive Officer, World Coal Association

The World Coal Association and the ASEAN Centre for Energy are working together to strengthen our joint commitment to support economic growthand the enabling role of clean coal across the ASEAN region.

Coal is a critical resource in the ASEAN region and its use is growing.

It provides robust, reliable, and affordable electricity, alongside its role in producing steel and cement – the building blocks of our societies.

We are working in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Energy to strengthen collaboration with governments, investors and industry so that we can achieve the wider deployment of clean coal technologies, enabling countries across the ASEAN region to continue to have access to the sustainable, affordable, and dependable energy that we often take for granted.

Countries across the ASEAN region have the right to access affordable, reliable sources of clean energy to build their societies and economies.

And for many of these countries, coal is that dependable option.

The key to a clean coal industry lies in a balanced global policy environment that is inclusive of all fuels and all clean technologies.

Innovative, clean coal technologies are available today, and are proven to significantly reduce all emissions.

Solutions to our environmental challenges, including climate change, will come through technological innovation and action on all low emission technologies.

We’re working together to demonstrate that clean coal can help us achieve our worldwide economic and environmental aspirations.

Watch the video here.

Pic from Anton Maksimov Junsky/Unsplash