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There are thousands of steps needed on the journey to a future without fossil fuels. As this story from FastCompany reveals, some major utility companies are slowly but surely starting to make the inevitable transition. The story is about Enel, Europe’s largest utility company, and its efforts to repurpose decommissioned coal plants as renewable energy hubs. While we need to quicken the pace, it shows the opportunity as well as the challenges ahead.
“The main goal is to create genuine energy centers that are increasingly integrated with their local environment, reducing the impact on the landscape, thanks to a new idea of what a power plant can be,” Fabio Cautadella, head of power plant repurposing at the Enel Group, said via email. “Most of the coal-fired plants are being converted to renewable energy, but in some cases, they are enjoying a new lease on life with completely different roles. These projects are being developed in collaboration with the local communities, and in some specific cases with other partners, with a view to creating jobs and improving the quality of life in the area.” […]
