Coordinated Operations of Flexible Coal and Renewable Energy Power Plants

The electricity sector is rapidly changing. Faced with the challenge of climate change, coal consumption is declining. Policy designs focus on raising the penetration of renewable energy. However, there are still drawbacks that prevent renewable energy from being adopted at industrial scale. It is therefore increasingly important for the policy makers to identify ways to leverage the benefits of renewable energy and at the same time preserve the availability, affordability and reliability of electricity. Several studies have explored the possibility of coordinating fossil fuel fired power plants with renewable energy. This report presents several options for the northern hemisphere.