Development opportunities of the coal industry towards the goal of carbon neutrality

The carbon peak and carbon neutral target has been elevated to a national strategy, and relevant road-maps, timetables, policies, and measures are being formulated and implemented, which will promote some extensive and profound systemic changes in the economy and society.Coal is still indispensable in the short term based on the characteristics of China's resource endowment and the reality of current economic and social development.It is an objective requirement for achieving the dual goals of carbon peaking, carbon neutrality, and energy security and stable supply to scientifically study the evolution trend of China's energy consumption structure and coal consumption under the goal of carbon neutrality, and take correct response measures.Firstly, the basic characteristics and changing patterns of the modernization process, energy consumption, and other aspects in the United States before and after the carbon peak was analyzed.Three major paths for the development of energy optimization in China were put forward, namely, continuously improving energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption, vigorously developing new energy sources and optimizing power structure, vigorously developing new technologies for CO2 energy and resource utilization, and promote the reuse of CO2, enhancing energy self-sufficiency and ensuring energy security.Then, after considering the trend of economic, social, and energy development in China, China's energy consumption pattern would go through three stages.The coal would be as fundamental energy first, then guaranteed energy, and finally play a supporting role.The new energy resources would be as supplementary energy first, then alternative energy, and finally become the major energy.The authors predicted that the proportion of new energy resources in the primary energy consumption structure would be 15% to 29%, 30% to 49%, and 50% to 80% respectively.Even if China achieves a carbon neutrality, it would still need coal for carrying out power peak shaving, producing carbon reductant and chemical raw materials, and ensuring energy security (1.5 billion to 1.2 billion t/a).Finally, the goal of carbon-neutral would bring three major development opportunities to the coal industry: returning to high-quality development, becoming a high-tech industry, and realizing coupling development with new energy resources under the carbon neutral target. © 2021, Editorial Office of Journal of China Coal Society. All right reserved.