國(guó)際能源署和國(guó)家/地區(qū)能源機(jī)構(gòu)預(yù)測(cè)，煤炭在未來將繼續(xù)是能源結(jié)構(gòu)的關(guān)鍵組成部分。事實(shí)上，預(yù)計(jì)煤炭最快將在2017年取代石油，成為最常用的一次能源形式（或據(jù)其他估計(jì)更早）。盡管未來煤炭的使用可能不會(huì)受到質(zhì)疑，但這對(duì)那些在當(dāng)今煤炭?jī)r(jià)格較低的世界上競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的生產(chǎn)企業(yè)來說，并沒有什么緩解作用。北美的頁巖氣現(xiàn)象、最近的全球金融衰退，或許最重要的是，中國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)放緩，對(duì)許多煤炭生產(chǎn)商造成了重大打擊。此外，在確認(rèn)Ernest Moniz為新能源部長(zhǎng)、提名Gina McCarthy為美國(guó)環(huán)境保護(hù)署署長(zhǎng)、以及最近奧巴馬政府公布一套氣候變化倡議的公告后，現(xiàn)有發(fā)電廠的CO 2條例很有可能成為可能。在歐盟，需要對(duì)能源基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施進(jìn)行大量投資，但面對(duì)緊縮措施和ETS的不確定性，這將從何而來？在世界各國(guó)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人努力尋找減少能源貧困和同時(shí)實(shí)現(xiàn)氣候和可持續(xù)性目標(biāo)的方法之際，煤炭行業(yè)面臨著相當(dāng)大的挑戰(zhàn)和許多未知因素。技術(shù)，例如使用煤炭/生物質(zhì)液體燃料減少運(yùn)輸部門的溫室氣體排放，可以發(fā)揮重要作用，但政府對(duì)推動(dòng)技術(shù)進(jìn)步至關(guān)重要。Cornerstone第二期的幾篇文章探討了煤炭行業(yè)的這些變化和挑戰(zhàn)。

T he International Energy Agency as well as national/regional energy agencies have projected that coal will continue to be a key component of the energy mix well into the future. In fact, it is expected that coal will overtake oil as the most used form of primary energy as soon as 2017 (or even sooner by other estimates). Although the future use of coal may not be in question, that will give little relief to production companies that compete in a world with today’s lower coal prices. The shale gas phenomena in North America, the recent global financial downturn, and, perhaps most importantly, the slowing of growth in China have dealt a major blow to many coal producers. In addition, with the confirmation of Ernest Moniz as the new Secretary of Energy, nomination of Gina McCarthy as the EPA Administrator in the U.S., and recent announcements from the Obama administration laying out a suite of climate change initiatives, CO 2 regulations for existing power plants are quickly becoming more likely. In the EU, considerable investment in energy infrastructure is needed, but where will it come from in the face of austerity measures and the uncertainty of the ETS? There are considerable challenges and many unknowns facing the coal industry at a time when world leaders struggle to find ways to reduce energy poverty and meet climate and sustainability goals simultaneously. Technology, such as using coal/biomass liquid fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, can play an important role, but government will be critical to moving technologies forward. Several articles in the second issue of Cornerstonelook at these changes and challenges to the coal industry.