42% of coal capacity is unprofitable finds our global analysis; see the report and interactive portal, plus analyst notes, news of the month and more.

Powering Down Coal:
New global coal analysis and interactive portal

Our latest report Powering Down Coal finds that it’s currently cheaper to build entirely new renewable capacity than continue running 36% of coal plants.

The analysis of the economics of coal power across the globe covered ~95% of global operating capacity and ~90% of capacity under construction. The results challenge the need for new coal generation and shows that it makes economic sense to close plants in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

The results are all available in our interactive portal where users can view the data on a plant-by-plant basis or aggregate up to the company, country or global level.

We presented this analysis at COP24 in Katowice, you can watch this presentation and access the slide deck in this blog which also outlines our experience at the COP.

View the portal

Lessons from the European electricity sector for
oil and gas companies

In the decade after 2007, the European electricity sector experienced a significant decline as policy support and new technology enabled new competition which drove down demand. The incumbent companies underestimated the fall in the costs of challenging technologies, and misunderstood the threat to their business model.

Many of the same challenges are now being faced by the oil an gas sector, but will they learn from the mistakes of the European electricity sector? Read the full analyst note.

Myths of the transition: Hard-to-abate sectors prevent an energy transition

The next myth to be busted in our “myths of the energy transition” series is the perception that hard to solve areas will prevent the transition. The argument goes that in sectors such as petrochemicals, cement and shipping it is not possible to find non-fossil alternatives, and demand keeps rising.

The reality is that hard-to-solve sectors are islands of enduring fossil fuel demand, which can be solved in the final stages of the transition, and that technology keeps on raising the ceiling of the possible. Read the full analyst note.