The $2+ bn Accelerating Coal Transition (ACT) investment program, led by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), is the first multilateral effort to advance an equitable, inclusive shift away from coal power in developing countries. To help policymakers prepare and implement their investment plans to transition away from coal, CIF recently published the ReACT report on technical and financial approaches to coal transition. Going one step further, the ReACT Tool, a free web platform for experts tackling the complex planning process to retire and repurpose coal infrastructure was recently released.
“Stakeholders told us they face a lack of data, tools, and coordination when it comes to planning their country’s transition away from coal. The ReACT tool will transform the way policymakers work on these challenges,” explained Paul P. Mathew, co-lead of this initiative, when previewing the ReACT Tool at the World Bank’s Innovate4Climate conference in May 2023. “With this tool, developed by experts with data from key users, policymakers can evaluate the potential benefits of transitioning from coal to various clean energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydro, or geothermal, among others.”
One of the unique features of the ReACT Tool is its ability to synthesize vast amounts of data from technical, commercial, and socioenvironmental indicators. “Advanced algorithms and modeling techniques simplify the evaluation process and help simulate different scenarios, considering factors such as age of the plant, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact,” said Devi Prasad Ayyannamahanty, systems lead for this initiative. “The ReACT Tool allows users to factor local priorities and regulations while providing data and assigning weightages, which the algorithm utilizes to create customized retirement and repurposing recommendations.” This mixed approach aims to equip policymakers and energy developers with strategies based on accurate projections, optimizing the allocation of resources early in the process, and bringing all stakeholders around the table.
The ReACT Tool supports coal transitions across two important phases:
The ReACT Tool breaks new ground: there are currently very limited standard frameworks that can be utilized across regions, and the general process is based on lengthy and expensive prefeasibility studies and pilots. With the ReACT Tool, relevant stakeholders will benefit from free and customizable insights into retirement and repurposing strategies that could be significantly more efficient and effective.