These factors make a good argument for coal as a cheap alternative source of Africa's power. Coal has historically played a crucial role as a source of energy worldwide, and has several important advantages over other fossil fuels. First is its relative abundance.
这些因素使得人们可以提出使用煤炭作为便宜的非洲电力替代资源。在历史上，煤炭作为全世界的能源来源发挥了关键作用，而且对于其他矿物燃料拥有几个重要的优势。首先是煤炭储量相对丰富。目前全世界探明的煤炭储量大约是8500亿吨。非洲有大约500亿吨。煤炭要比其他任何矿物燃料分布更为广泛。