Estimating stranded coal assets in China's power sector

• Main Authors: ZHANG, Weirong, REN, Mengjia, KANG, Junjie, ZHOU, Yiou, YUAN, Jiahai
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2022
• Subjects: China; Coal power; Overcapacity; Stranded assets; Asian Studies; Energy Policy; Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sis_research/6963; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/sis_research/article/7966/viewcontent/StrandedCoalAssets_av.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

China has suffered overcapacity in coal power since 2016. With growing electricity demand and an economic crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, China faces a dilemma between easing restrictive policies for short-term growth in coal-fired power production and keeping restrictions in place for long-term sustainability. In this paper, we measure the risks faced by China's coal power units to become stranded in the next decade and estimate the associated economic costs for different shareholders. By implementing restrictive policies on coal power expansion, China can avoid 90% of stranded coal assets by 2025.