Japan pushing fuel-efficient, coal-fired power plants

Claims these emit less carbon dioxide than others.

Toshiba Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. are among Japanese companies that have received orders for at least 16 coal power-related facilities from India, Taiwan and other countries.

Japan’s Minister of Industry Toshimitsu Motegi was in Vietnam recently to discuss Japan's energy-saving technologies and environment-friendly techniques. He also sold Vietnam on coal-fired power plants, pointing out that those made in Japan emit less carbon dioxide than facilities made elsewhere.

Vietnam's demand for electricity has been rising rapidly in tandem with economic growth. The Vietnamese government estimates its power generation will rise to 5.8 times the present level in 2030, and plans to raise its degree of dependence on coal power to nearly 60% from the current 20%.

Although coal-fired power plants emit a large amount of carbon dioxide, their fuel cost is one-fourth that of oil thermal power plants. In addition, it is estimated that worldwide coal reserves are much larger than those of other energy resources.

Electricity generated by coal power accounts for 40% of all electricity in the world, and demand for coal power is expected to continue to increase, mainly in Asian countries.