Repurposing coal plants can boost local economies while cutting emissions 

August 8, 2024

A newly published study in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews found that repurposing retired coal power plants to generate renewable energy can provide significant economic benefits to local communities while driving down carbon emissions and energy costs. 

The study was led by Franceso Tassi, MCRP, MPA — a fellow at Last Energy, a developer of small-scale nuclear powerplants — and Noah Kittner, PhD, assistant professor of environmental sciences and engineering at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.  

Dr. Noah Kittner

As the world shifts towards cleaner energy sources, many coal plants are being retired, leaving behind valuable infrastructure. In the United States, the transition away from coal as an energy source raises questions about the impact abandoned and potentially hazardous sites may have on nearby communities. The problem is pervasive; according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 28% of U.S. coal-fired powerplants are due for retirement by 2035.  

In their study of the problem, Tassi and Kittner propose an innovative solution: retrofitting these plants to harness solar energy and store it in batteries. This approach would not only reduce the cost of building new renewable energy installations, but also revitalize local economies that currently are reliant on coal. 

The retrofitting process involves installing solar panels and large batteries at existing powerplant sites. One advantage of this strategy is that it allows the use of established electrical connections, which significantly cuts down on the expenses and time needed to develop new renewable energy projects.  

 A second benefit to this approach is that, while retiring a coal plant can leave a significant portion of a community’s workforce jobless, these workers can be retrained to run the retrofitted plant. Considering job carryover would aid a community’s smooth transition to a green economy, ensuring that the benefits of renewable energy reach everyone while alleviating some of the hardship associated with shuttering coal plants. 

A large body of previous research has shown that avoiding the worst outcomes of climate change will require rapid changes to energy infrastructure across the U.S. This studsy represents hope for the future, as the researchers found that repurposing coal plants allows for significant cost savings, a boost to regional economies and meaningful progress in the nation’s transition to a low-carbon future. 

Contact the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health communications team at sphcomm@unc.edu.