So the UK and China have signed agreements on 17 June 2014 enabling Chinese companies not only to invest in nuclear power plant projects but also to build Chinese-design nuclear reactors in the UK. The long march has certainly come a long way in 80 years.
Despite the abundance of natural gas in the U.S. and Europe’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, coal, the fastest-growing fossil fuel, met 30.1 percent of the world’s energy demands last year, its highest share since 1970, according to BP’s Statistical Review of Energy unveiled 19 June 2014.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasted in 2012 that coal would become the world’s top energy source by 2017. IEA expects that between 2012 and 2017, annual global coal consumption will rise by 1.2 billion tons.
Clean coal will happen and according to reports the Saudi Arabian utility ACWA Power and South Korea’s Taekwang Power are among a consortium of companies that have agreed to develop the first phase of a 1200 MW coal-fired power plant in Vietnam.
The Nam Dinh 1 project, estimated to cost US$ 2 billion, will be equipped with new clean coal burning technology, including a circulating fluidised bed combustion system as an alternative to the older pulverised coal combustion system. State-owned producer Vinacomin will supply coal to the plant. The project will consist of two 600 MW units, both scheduled for completion in 2020.
For a secure energy supply in the UK we need to invest in all forms of supply and if the Government do not act to keep an indigenous supply of coal and build the new clean coal power stations needed we will for sure be held to ransom at some point.
cleanercoal 