Taming Coal

The policy brief asserts that because coal is likely to remain a significant part of the global power supply through 2050, the world must transition from coal combustion to integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology. IGCC is presented as the most viable path to reducing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury emissions, while providing a more efficient means of carbon capture and storage compared to retrofitting combustion plants. The author calls for a ban on new coal combustion plants, the rapid deployment of commercial IGCC 'reference' plants in the United States to encourage global adoption, and the large-scale demonstration of geologic carbon storage. Additionally, the document advocates for reforming coal mining practices, regulating toxic solid waste, and reducing water consumption.

• Coal-fired power generation is a major source of environmental degradation, contributing to nearly 40% of man-made CO2 emissions and causing an estimated 15,000 premature deaths annually in the US due to sulfur dioxide emissions.
• Despite the growth of renewables, coal is projected to remain a significant part of the global power supply between 2030 and 2050, driven by surging electricity demand in developing nations such as China and India.
• Integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) is identified as the superior alternative to coal combustion because it significantly reduces sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions, can virtually eliminate mercury air emissions, and is more cost-effective for carbon capture.
• The United States should prioritize building commercial IGCC 'reference' plants to demonstrate reliability and reduce costs, which would accelerate the adoption of the technology in China and India.
• Large-scale demonstration of geologic carbon storage is necessary to establish national programs, with the IPCC indicating that managed reservoirs can retain over 99% of stored carbon for 1,000 years.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2007). Taming Coal. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093447/200703-Taming_Coal.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Taming Coal. 2007. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093447/200703-Taming_Coal.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Taming Coal |date=March 2007 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093447/200703-Taming_Coal.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2007taming, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Taming Coal}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2007}, month = mar, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093447/200703-Taming_Coal.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }