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Exclusive interview with Michelle Manook, CEO of FutureCoal Coal should not be sacrificed at the altar of the just energy transition, which champions renewables as the panacea to the world’s electricity access challenges. The organisation FutureCoal continues to advocate for coal as a responsible energy source and one that remains crucial to especially developing nations. “There is still an abundance of coal resources in the world, and there is an opportunity now under sustainable coal stewardship to extract more value per ton of coal by looking at it beyond its traditional uses… but equally by applying best available technology and innovation to develop it,” says Michelle Manook, the Chief Executive Officer of FutureCoal. Manook told ESI Africa during an interview at Mining Indaba in Cape Town this week that the organisation has been on a journey over the past five years with the message: “What is coal and why do we need it?” FutureCoal is an industry body that’s been around for nearly 40 years and is regarded these days as a think-tank. It was previously called the World Coal Association and was started by coal producers from around the world, mostly from Western companies. “About five years ago, there was a real recognition that we had lost control of the narrative, and the narrative was actually misrepresenting many of the real opportunities, particularly in innovation and technology around coal and a lot of the negative perceptions based on outdated views of coal and not the real and full understanding of the nature of coal and the importance to so many.” Coal not going anywhere fast Coal, says Manook, is not just about power (energy) but is crucial to industries like steel, cement, chemicals and sectors like agriculture (for fertilisers). “Coal also plays a role in renewables for [wind turbines]. Also, the opportunity around coal for hydrogen, coal to critical minerals, where you can use coal waste ash to do that. “So all these stories and this understanding about this important resource was being missed.” Towards the end of 2023, the World Coal Association changed its name to FutureCoal. “The main reason we did that was to communicate and to really shine a light [on this topic]… as many of us know, coal is not going anywhere fast. “We can’t just tell the story of a producer any longer; even our organisation had to change; you cannot just tell the story of the consumer, you have to now tell the story of the value chain. “So, FutureCoal, a lot of people think of it now as a think-tank. It’s a platform where we talk about something called sustainable coal stewardship. It’s really looking at the opportunities in pre-combustion, combustion and beyond combustion. “That coal is an active participant and can be through innovation and technology. “This is a journey and now the membership is effectively the coal consuming and producing nations and its really [about] encouraging and inviting those members across the spectrum (across the value chain) to come and join. “What we are noticing more and more is that people are wanting to share the opportunity and also the challenges. “In that regard, our conversations are very much with governments, the finance, investment, insurance sectors and our own industry. “Because even our own industry is sometimes not as informed as it could be or not necessarily presenting the best case. “It’s been a really important journey and now we’re just on this journey to talk about sustainable coal stewardship and how as a value chain we can evolve and contribute both economically and environmentally.” Coal as part of the energy journey Manook says there should be no reason coal is not part of an energy-efficient and energy-transformation journey. “We don’t say energy transition… because we don’t believe it’s about transitioning away [from coal]. We believe it’s about transitioning towards the innovations and technologies that are important.” She says the view among sections of the media and elsewhere is that coal is a stranded asset. This ill-informed message is why people don’t invest in the sector. “It is not a stranded asset, but a strategic asset.” “And looking at coal as a stranded asset is not right. It’s much better to look at it as a strategic asset and to enable it to be a better contributor to the nations that choose it.” But it does require a framework that is of a level playing field and a policy environment that does not disadvantage you and does not bias the funding, says Manook. “As an organisation, we’re not saying everyone should use coal. We don’t take that position. We take a position that what is right for you is what we should support as long as you’re doing it in a way which is economically and environmentally responsible. “From an energy perspective, that conversation, if it is that coal energy is right, then let’s do it, but let’s do it with the best technology to reduce all emissions. “I think it’s relevant now that we don’t jump on bandwagons that are ill-informed. We must educate.” |
