The　Chinese　energy　system,　a　major　CO2　emitter,　relies　heavily　on　fossil　fuels,　especially　coal.　Coal　will　continue　to　play　a　major　role　in　the　new　installed　power　generation　capacity　in　the　future,　which　will　cause　unavoidable　environmental　problems.　Clean　coal　technologies　(CCTs)　are　essential　for　emissions　reduction　in　the　power　sector.　In　general,　CCTs　cover　coal　upgrading,　efficiency　improvements,　advanced　technologies　and　zero　emissions　technologies.　Besides　these,　CCTs　also　include　other　emissions　reduction　technologies　and　comprehensive　utilization　technologies　in　China.　This　paper　review　the　complete　life　cycle　modeling　of　CCTs.　The　advanced　technologies　include　super-critical　(super-C),　ultra　super-critical　(USC)　and　integrated　gasification　combined　cycle　(IGCC).　The　results　show　that　the　higher　efficiency　technologies　have　lower　potential　impacts.　Compared　with　the　average　level　of　power　generation　technology,　CO2　emissions　reduction　is　6.4%　for　super-C,　37.4%　for　USC　and　61.5%　for　IGCC.　Four　coal　power　scenarios　are　developed　based　on　the　assumption　of　potential　investment　power　for　CCTs　in　2020,　which　are　super-C,　USC,　USC　and　old　low　efficiency　generation　substitution　by　USC,　IGCC　and　carbon　capture　and　storage　(CCS).　The　CO2　emissions　intensity　is　1.93　kg/kWh　for　super-C,　1.69　kg/kWh　for　USC,　1.59　kg/kWh　for　USC　+　replacement　and　1.29　kg/kWh　for　IGCC　+　CCS.　The　CO2　emissions　intensity　was　1.95　kg/kWh　in　2010,　which　had　decreased　5.5%　compared　with　the　level　in　2005.　The　energy　structure　is　continuously　being　improved　and　optimized.　The　potential　carbon　reduction　will　be　limited　in　the　power　system　in　2020　by　current　commercial　CCTs　with　the　generation　efficiency　increase.　The　most　impressive　technology　is　IGCC　with　CCS　which　enables　greenhouse　gas　reduction　of　37.6%　compared　with　the　level　in　2005.　(C)　2014　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.