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Several factors have led to the decline of electricity generation from coal over the past decade, and projections forecast high rates of growth for wind and solar technologies in coming years. This analysis uses hourly generation data from large coal-fired power stations to determine how operations have been modified in recent years and describes the implications of these changes for plant equipment and unit reliability. The data shows increasing variability in intraday generation output that affects nearly all of the units in the sample, but the magnitude of increase varies widely among plants. Outage patterns were examined as was the relationship between renewable energy growth in a region and the changes in coal plant operations. Aggregate direct and indirect costs associated with running coal plants as load-following units have not yet been quantified in large-scale studies on a sector-wide basis, largely due to differences in how specific equipment responds to output fluctuations. Due to findings from the hourly generation data analysis and the high degree of potential impact on coal plant equipment, the study suggests the development of a new modeling tool that will represent the costs of running coal-fired power plants at lower capacity factors.

MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2019 The development of the energy industry in South Africa together with the development of distributed generation from Independent Power Producers and the establishment of small-scale energy structures and off-grid solutions that are based on renewable energy sources are all indicators that the country is in the midst of a renewable energy revolution. This revolution can assist in the establishment of a sustainable energy infrastructure should all the involved stakeholders collaborate intensively with common objectives. It is at this stage of the revolution therefore important to ask whether South Africa is ready to utilise the opportunities that are presented to them with regards to renewable energy and whether the country is able to take advantage of the abundant natural resources to pursue the future of energy development. This study aims to answer this question to a large extent. This study is divided in three main constructs i.e. a coal generation perspective, a renewable energy perspective and a political perspective. A specific research methodology was followed for both a literature review and an empirical study. The literature review is structured in such a manner that evidence is gathered to describe the perspectives of each of the afore-mentioned constructs. The empirical study was then constructed on selected findings obtained in the literature review and tested by performing a qualitative study. The qualitative study necessitated interviews with ten individuals that comprise various experience and backgrounds in the energy industry of South Africa. The observations made in the qualitative study were then strictly correlated with the findings in the literature review from which decisive conclusions were derived. The final chapter of this study aims to answer the core research question and also validates the stated research objectives of the study. The purpose of this study was therefore to answer the question: Will the impact of the renewable energy revolution be positive or negative considering the growth of the energy industry of South Africa from a holistic perspective? Substantial evidence is provided that supports the answer to this question. Masters

Fossil fuels comprise 93% of Malaysia’s electricity generation and account for 36% of the country’s 2010 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. The government has targeted the installation of 330 MW of biomass electricity generation capacity by 2015 to avoid 1.3 Mt of CO 2 emissions annually and offset some emissions due to increased coal use. One biomass option is to co-fire with coal, which can result in reduced GHG emissions, coal use, and costs of electricity. A linear optimization cost model was developed using seven types of biomass residues for Peninsular Malaysia. Results suggest that about 12 Mt/year of residues are available annually, of which oil-palm residues contribute 77%, and rice and logging residues comprise 17%. While minimizing the cost of biomass and biomass residue transport, co-firing at four existing coal plants in Peninsular Malaysia could meet the 330 MW biomass electricity target and reduce costs by about $24 million per year compared to coal use alone and reduces GHG emissions by 1.9 Mt of CO 2 . Maximizing emissions reduction for biomass co-firing results in 17 Mt of CO 2 reductions at a cost of $23/t of CO 2 reduced.

In contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts as agreed in Paris in 2015, China has set a target of reducing the carbon dioxide intensity of gross domestic product by 60-65 percent in 2030 compared with 2005 levels. Using a dynamic computable general equilibrium model of China, this study analyzes the economic and greenhouse gas impacts of meeting those targets through carbon pricing. The study finds that the trajectory of carbon prices to achieve the target depends on several factors, including how the carbon price changes over time and how carbon revenue is recycled to the economy. The study finds that carbon pricing that starts at a lower rate and gradually rises until it achieves the intensity target would be more efficient than a carbon price that remains constant over time. Using carbon revenue to cut existing distortionary taxes reduces the impact on the growth of gross domestic product relative to lump-sum redistribution. Recycling carbon revenue through subsidies to renewables and other low-carbon energy sources also can meet the targets, but the impact on the growth of gross domestic product is larger than with the other policies considered.

These guidelines are directed to the economic analysis of power sector policy analysis and the appraisal of power sector investment projects. The general guidance is complemented by an Annex Volume that contains relevant technical notes, a glossary, and an extended Bibliography. In this first edition, the focus of the technical notes is on grid-connected renewable energy projects. In FY16 the scope of the technical notes will be extended to cover transmission & distribution, rural electrification, off-grid, energy efficiency, and thermal projects.