THE MYTH OF “CLEAN COAL”

This fact sheet by the Centre for Environmental Rights argues that "clean coal" is an impossible concept. It details the devastating impacts of coal mining and combustion in South Africa—including high water consumption, toxic air pollution causing thousands of deaths, and land degradation—and dismisses HELE, CFB, and CCS technologies as insufficient or unviable solutions compared to renewable energy.

• The document asserts that "clean coal" is a myth and that no solutions exist to neutralize most or all of the environmental, health, and climate change impacts caused by coal, particularly when compared to cheaper and cleaner alternatives like wind and solar power.
• Coal mining and processing in South Africa cause significant environmental and health damage, including the loss of arable land, dust emissions, and acid mine drainage. Producing 250 million tons of coal per year requires between 42.5 million m3 and 147 million m3 of water.
• Eskom's coal-fired power stations have severe impacts on water and health. In 2017, Eskom consumed approximately 307 million m3 of water for power generation. Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) emissions from these stations are linked to more than 2,200 equivalent deaths of South Africans annually, as well as thousands of cases of asthma and bronchitis.
• The document critiques three specific technologies promoted as "clean coal" solutions: 1. High Efficiency, Low Emissions (HELE) plants (supercritical and ultra-supercritical boilers) still have high CO2 emissions (reduced by at most 20%) and significant pollutant emissions while increasing costs. 2. Circulating Fluidised Bed (CFB) combustion systems increase solid waste and GHG emissions (1,23 kg CO2eq per kWh) due to high Nitrous Oxide (N2O) emissions, and produce ash containing toxic chemicals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and chromium. 3. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) remains unproven at scale, faces risks of long-term leakage, and is likely unviable in South Africa due to the distance between power stations and potential storage sites.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). THE MYTH OF “CLEAN COAL”. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Myth-of-Clean-Coal-Fact-Sheet_Final_November-2018.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. THE MYTH OF “CLEAN COAL”. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Myth-of-Clean-Coal-Fact-Sheet_Final_November-2018.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=THE MYTH OF “CLEAN COAL” |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Myth-of-Clean-Coal-Fact-Sheet_Final_November-2018.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndmyth, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{THE MYTH OF “CLEAN COAL”}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Myth-of-Clean-Coal-Fact-Sheet_Final_November-2018.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }