Author(s):
1. Iliaș Nicolae, University of Petroșani. , Romania
2. Sorin Mihai Radu, University of Petroșani. , Romania
3. Iosif Andraş, University of Petroșani. , Romania
4. Iulian Offenberg, S. CONVERSMIN , Romania

Abstract:
Coal is an affordable, abundant, safe to store and reliable resource, relatively straightforward to convert to electrical power. Coal makes an important contribution to the economic and social development and it can also meet the growing energy needs of many developing countries. But coal remains essential in achieving a balanced and secure energy grid for many developed countries too. Therefore, coal will play an important role in energy sistems as part of the future energy mix, because it offers accessible distribution, attractive costs and reliable availability. In the same time, new concerns about climate change add the most important challenge to the long-term use of coal in a sustainable development context. The environmental impact of the coal industry includes air and water pollution and waste management. It is well known that direct coal burning produce greenhouse gases and solid waste products, including fly ash, flue-gas and sludge that contain various toxins and/or heavy metals. But, even the most modern and advanced conventional coal-fired power plants emit over 15 times more CO2 per unit of electricity than renewable energy systems, and more than twice the amount of efficient gas-fired power stations. In this regard, Governments must accept that coal will necessarily play a major role in world energy supply for many decades, and to put in place policies that will accelerate innovation, investment in and rapid deployment of cleaner coal technologies. This position contrasts with the more commonly adopted policy of encouraging a shift away from coal to less reliable energy sources (wind, water or solar). In addition to direct coal burning, coal can be used as a feedstock for the production of liquid and gaseous fuels. In the last years, bio-fuels produced from raw materials of organic nature such as coal, wood and biomass and biological, industrial and minerals waste, represent a viable alternative to petroleum products. Because of new technologies, in the future, bio-fuels can replace gradually the volumes of crude oil from depleted deposits. In the same time, a large quantity of existing waste is adequate to produce synthetic oil, but is not enough to produce a sufficient amount, so the difference can be covered with solid energy raw materials, currently responsible for the appearance greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, authors consider that transfer of clean coal technologies from developed to developing countries represents the modern challenge of coal and related industries and, in the same time, the answer to main question: eco-development (sustainable development) or ecology (mines closure)?

Key words:
coal,challenge,eco-development,ecology

Thematic field:
The logistics processes and environmental effects

Date of abstract submission:
14.08.2017.

Conference:
7th Balkan Mining Congress

Paper for reviews