78 J. KRANE
even though the national Energy Strategy 2050 strategy envisions coal
taking a 12% share of the UAE’s power output. 62
When official reports must mention the coal project, it is described as
‘clean coal.’ Although ‘clean coal’ is an ambiguous term, when used in
energy circles it typically refers to plants equipped with carbon capture
and storage (CCS) infrastructure, such as the W. A. Parish plant outside
Houston or the Boundary Dam plant in Saskatchewan. The Hassyan
plant will not be equipped with CCS. In Hassyan’s case, ‘clean’ appears
to be a reference to its use of ultra-supercritical boilers, contemporary
technology, which operate with greater efficiency and lower particulate
emission than those found in older plants. Since Hassyan’s design requires
it to be retrofitted for any future connection to CCS infrastructure, the
plant does not meet standard criteria for ‘clean coal.’ 63
The downplaying of coal in the UAE may become official policy.
Disagreements between Abu Dhabi and Dubai over the wisdom of
coal have cast doubt on the likelihood that coal capacity will be
further expanded beyond Hassyan’s 2.4 GW first phase, despite plans on
record. 64
Questions Around Coal
Why would a wealthy, energy-endowed country venture into imported
coal at a time when the climate and pollution consequences are universally
understood? Most commercial and development banks have halted coal
lending, considering it inappropriate other than in very limited circumstances in energy-poor countries without alternatives. Besides not meeting
these criteria, the UAE, and Dubai in particular, depend heavily on
tourism, an industry sensitive to negative publicity and pollution. A 2015
World Bank statistical ranking found the UAE already had higher mean
average particulate (PM 2.5) air pollution, mainly from airborne dust,
than any other country in the world, including China and India, where
coal combustion has created serious public health issues 65 (Fig. 3.7). Even
low-particulate ‘clean coal’ will worsen air quality.
Why coal, then? There appear to be at least five reasons behind the
UAE’s ‘dash for coal.’
The first is based on strategic calculations about energy security and
diversity of supply and technology. The Middle East may hold the world’s
largest repository of natural gas, but it is also an arena for competition among great powers and regional autocracies, replete with ongoing
even though the national Energy Strategy 2050 strategy envisions coal
taking a 12% share of the UAE’s power output. 62
When official reports must mention the coal project, it is described as
‘clean coal.’ Although ‘clean coal’ is an ambiguous term, when used in
energy circles it typically refers to plants equipped with carbon capture
and storage (CCS) infrastructure, such as the W. A. Parish plant outside
Houston or the Boundary Dam plant in Saskatchewan. The Hassyan
plant will not be equipped with CCS. In Hassyan’s case, ‘clean’ appears
to be a reference to its use of ultra-supercritical boilers, contemporary
technology, which operate with greater efficiency and lower particulate
emission than those found in older plants. Since Hassyan’s design requires
it to be retrofitted for any future connection to CCS infrastructure, the
plant does not meet standard criteria for ‘clean coal.’ 63
The downplaying of coal in the UAE may become official policy.
Disagreements between Abu Dhabi and Dubai over the wisdom of
coal have cast doubt on the likelihood that coal capacity will be
further expanded beyond Hassyan’s 2.4 GW first phase, despite plans on
record. 64
Questions Around Coal
Why would a wealthy, energy-endowed country venture into imported
coal at a time when the climate and pollution consequences are universally
understood? Most commercial and development banks have halted coal
lending, considering it inappropriate other than in very limited circumstances in energy-poor countries without alternatives. Besides not meeting
these criteria, the UAE, and Dubai in particular, depend heavily on
tourism, an industry sensitive to negative publicity and pollution. A 2015
World Bank statistical ranking found the UAE already had higher mean
average particulate (PM 2.5) air pollution, mainly from airborne dust,
than any other country in the world, including China and India, where
coal combustion has created serious public health issues 65 (Fig. 3.7). Even
low-particulate ‘clean coal’ will worsen air quality.
Why coal, then? There appear to be at least five reasons behind the
UAE’s ‘dash for coal.’
The first is based on strategic calculations about energy security and
diversity of supply and technology. The Middle East may hold the world’s
largest repository of natural gas, but it is also an arena for competition among great powers and regional autocracies, replete with ongoing