Saturday 29 July 2017

New tool evaluates green impacts of power generation

A new tool from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) aims to help evaluate the environmental impacts of various types of electricity.

The organisation says by making comparative assessments of different kinds of generation, the Simplified Approach for Estimating Impacts of Electricity Generation (SIMPACTS) tool allows Member States to fulfil their specific energy needs whilst working towards Paris Agreement commitments.

The tool's makers say it is particularly useful for analysing the differences between fossil, nuclear and renewable electricity generation, the siting of new power plants and the cost effectiveness of environmental mitigation policies.

It also has the benefit of being able to run using limited input information.

Energy planning specialists, environment and climate analysts from 14 developing countries attended a SIMPACTS workshop in Vienna earlier this month to chart out their own national energy strategies.

David Shropshire, Head of the IAEA’s Planning and Economic Studies Section, said: "The SIMPACTS modelling tool helps countries better understand their energy choices by calculating the potential costs of damage from pollutants and wastes to public health and agriculture.

"These insights are invaluable for making economic and smart energy choices.”