The necessity of coal transformation and integral method

The Image
Coal plant

Still account for more than a third of the world's electricity and coal is the largest source of energy-related emissions1.In order to limit global warming to within 1.5 degrees Celsius, to 2030 coal capacity must be reduced to 80% of 2010 levels2.In 2050, the international energy agency's Net Zero emissions targets, all high coal must be in production by 20403.

Obviously, to speed up the transformation of coal to clean energy, need to take massive action worldwide.Fortunately, the momentum is growing.In COP26 agreed on "the Glasgow climate agreement," there are 197 countries/regions commitment to gradually reduce the high coal application4.In the past year, has made the coal transformation plan, including a recent concern of "Indonesia fair energy transformation partnership (JETP)" statement, the partnership is designed to raise GBP 17 billion in the next three to five years, to speed up the fair and energy transformation.

We know that coal must be abandoned, but need to consider what factors to ensure the success of the transformation?Complex multidimensional energy pattern, we must carefully consider the overall impact.狗万滚球app下载Carbon Trust promoting strategic thinking and development framework in order to understand and solve transformation of coal in the energy system, policy, economic and social aspects of the complex relationship.We believe that this overall approach is vital for the funds needed for the release of accelerating transformation.Our Net Zero think-tank on to Net Zero posts, comprehensively discusses the factors to consider when implementing integral method.

The following section summarizes the government, public utilities, and other stakeholders want to speed up the process of the transformation of coal the main challenges must be considered:

Energy systems challenges:

The global energy crisis for energy security problems become the focus.Learn about a country or region of a broader energy system, is the first step in the understanding of the mechanism of its coal deprecated.

In the country or region level, must understand the alternative energy power generation capability of the current and projected.Although renewable energy technology is increasingly popular, but they must be schedulable support energy solutions to meet peak demand.Must also consider the development of storage and management measures of electricity demand.

At the factory level, factory must be considered to be retired or another for other USES.Retired factory is the preferred solution, but also may get another for other USES.For example, the field for renewable energy generation, mixed burning alternative fuels or modification technology to reduce emissions.

Economic and policy challenges:

Energy market fundamentally was mainly affected by government policies, some policy to abandoned coal, and some policy support to application of coal.Despite the government's commitment to a clean energy transformation, but coal in taxes and royalties, state-owned assets and employment and so on broader economic role, may make the government policy to the contrary, such as fossil fuel subsidies, capacity to pay, long-term contract and compliance.Understand the broader economic role is vital for planning effective policy transformation.

Although the government's commitment to reduce emissions is a key driver, but often requires a comprehensive policy reform to solve the conflict.Policy tension may include support for renewable energy on the surface but actually more inclined to support the unbalance of coal subsidy system, provide indirect subsidies to financial arrangements for coal, and promote the development of coal but planning policy for the further development of renewable energy.If the influence of coal policy conflict, transformation of coal will be blocked.

Social challenges:

The transformation of coal will be inevitably influence and community life.Current global coal mining jobs for a total of 4.7 million, indirect employment range5.All levels of employees, and informal workers will face the risk of loss of jobs, to rely on these assets of the community, factory closures will make the loss of vitality of the local economy and resilience.Factory closures will also affect the tax, local infrastructure and energy affordability.

Transition planning must be designed to minimize to the community, workers and other affected stakeholders may be adversely affected, at the same time maximize the development of the local green industry and improve community economic vitality.At the very least, the transformation plan should be more training plans and financial support to solve the work and skills gap, for example, to help workers find decent other sustainable jobs and try to reduce the displacement.The wider community support should include social services, green investment, employment, education and training, and aimed at realizing the multiplication of the local economy and acceleration of clean energy production.

To ensure fair energy transformation, not one-size-fits-all solution.Risks and opportunities depends on each country/region of geographic, political, social and economic background, adjust measures to local conditions is very important.Transition planning need the affected stakeholders, tolerance, actively participate in as soon as possible, admit that they do not equal, the influence of fair distribution and efforts should be made to the costs and benefits.

Financing challenges:

Renewable energy costs in many markets more competitive than coal power generation cost, and the cost of the former continues to decline.By 2025, the world is estimated to be as much as 78% of coal-fired power plants lack of competitiveness.However, despite the environmental pressure and economic pressure, as the main source of electric power production of coal, transformation of abandoned coal has been slow.

As people to enhance awareness of coal assets retired in advance, discussion on the mechanism of coal transformation (CTM) is also more and more.CTM application of innovative financing mechanisms to accelerate the transformation of coal, is to mobilize a lot of capital to promote the effective solution of coal to a clean energy transformation.Under the help of COP26 has accelerator (CATA) coal assets transformation plan, to accelerate the application of CTM, achieve economic and fair retire ahead of schedule, or reused CFPP, and accelerate the coal to a clean energy transformation.

Through our cooperation and we狗万滚球app下载 are more widely in CATA energy transformation plan, the Carbon Trust is trying to cope with the complex whole challenges and providing solutions, we found that these challenges will be blocked the rapid transformation of abandoned coal.We formulated the coal-fired power plants priority framework, the framework to evaluate the coal energy system, policy, and social aspects of transformation, to ensure that a future power plant level influence trading in all dimensions.

We cooperate with local partners, currently in South Africa and Pakistan to carry out the team level analysis, determine the accelerating individual retired from coal-fired power plants or for other opportunities.In addition, we are respond to the feedback of various stakeholders, further evaluation in the transformation of national level planning should be how to consider the energy system, society, policy and financial issues.


  1. The international energy agency, 2022."Net zero transition".Please refer to:https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/4192696b-6518-4cfc-bb34-acc9312bf4b2/CoalinNetZeroTransitions.pdf
  2. Climate analysis organization, 2019.In the Paris agreement on global and regional coal industry gradually withdraw from requirements: the IPCC report on 1.5 ˚ C temperature limit special insights.Please refer to:Coal_Report_September - Formatted (climateanalytics.org).
  3. https://www.iea.org/fuels-and-technologies/coal
  4. The world economy BBS, 2021.About the Glasgow climate convention, five things you need to know.Please refer to:COP26 views: the Glasgow climate convention mean?| the world economy BBS (weforum.org).
  5. The world bank, 2022.From a global perspective coal coal Labour employment and management transformation.Please refer to:https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/extractiveindustries/publication/global-perspective-on-coal-jobs-and-managing-labor-transition-out-of-coal
  6. RMI, carbon track plan and the sierra club, 2020."How to make coal-fired power plants to retire as soon as possible: in a fair and workable way to accelerate the phasing out of coal industry.Please refer to:Rmi_how_to_retire_early. PDF.