Old fossil-fuel plants are becoming green-energy hubs

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Economist or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Former fossil-fuel power stations are being repurposed into green-energy hubs around the world, turning once-polluting infrastructure into centers for solar power, battery storage, and hydrogen production
• In Chile’s Atacama Desert, French utility Engie transformed its diesel-powered Tamaya station into a solar plant, symbolizing a broader trend toward reusing legacy energy assets for a low-carbon future

🔭 The context: Fossil-fuel infrastructure — often built on well-connected, grid-integrated land — offers strategic advantages for the clean energy transition
• These sites typically already have transmission lines, roads, and permits, making them ideal candidates for swift redevelopment
• With utilities seeking to reduce stranded assets and governments aiming for decarbonisation, this approach presents a pragmatic and cost-effective path

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Repurposing fossil-fuel sites helps accelerate the energy transition by minimizing new land use, preserving biodiversity, and reducing the environmental costs of demolition
• It also supports workforce continuity in regions previously reliant on coal, oil, or gas jobs
• However, success depends on local grid capacity, economic viability, and long-term policy alignment, especially in lower-income regions

⏭️ What's next: Utilities and governments are expected to scale up similar projects, particularly in coal-heavy countries such as India, South Africa, and the U.S. Appalachian region
• Advances in battery storage, geothermal retrofitting, and green hydrogen could further enhance the viability of these hubs
• Policy support — such as tax incentives and permitting reform — will be crucial in determining how widely and rapidly such conversions can take place

💬 One quote: “It makes no sense to just throw [them] away,” says Arash Dahi Taleghani, engineer at Pennsylvania State University, referring to disused fossil infrastructure

📈 One stat: Engie plans to convert or decommission all its coal-fired power stations in Chile by 2027, with many becoming renewable energy facilities — a move aligned with Chile’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2050

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Engie and its peers Enel, and Iberdrola

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