Exploring Enablers for an Ambitious Coal Phaseout

To reach the mitigation goals of Paris Agreement, many countries will have to phase out their coal power plants prematurely, i.e., before end normal lifetimes, which lead quite possibly significant stranded assets. This could present a major challenge, particularly for rapidly developing whose electricity demand is growing and are currently expanding fleets. Recent research shows that with aging decreasing consumption more inclined coal, but little known about where, why, how being prematurely retired. In context hybrid attention increasingly shifting domestic capacities and, alongside this—given vested interests involved in different sectors—to state capacity implement transformations required achieve deep decarbonization. this article, we aim study those phaseout. We use recent comprehensive global dataset on employ mixed-methods design (a) identify general emerging patterns respect premature fleet retirement, (b) derive stylized types political strategies retire plants. find be robust predictor three main used date coal: <em>rein-in</em> using top-down regulatory enforcement environmental, climate, or other regulations affect operating licenses plants; <em>buy-out</em> provision compensation companies regions appease interests; (c) <em>crowd out</em> where accelerating market price dynamics sector crowd coal. propose future should explore systematically kinds strategy might most promising needing taking into account structures, also implications such efforts.