National energy planning process starts by evaluating a country’s overall energy situation using a set of indicators that cover all aspects of sustainable development. An IAEA energy modelling tool can help Member States to make a comparative assessment of different energy sources. Such an assessment has a crucial role in determining the right technology for electricity production that best suits a country’s specific needs and helps to fulfil commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Bringing together 16 energy planning specialists, environment and climate analysts from 14 developing countries, a Vienna workshop held early this month focused on the IAEA’s Simplified Approach for Estimating Impacts of Electricity Generation (SIMPACTS) Model.
“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,” said David Shropshire, Head of the IAEA’s Planning and Economic Studies Section. “These insights are invaluable for making economic and smart energy choices.”
SIMPACTS allows Member States to estimate and quantify health and environmental damage costs, so-called ‘externalities’, of different electricity generation technologies. It is particularly useful for comparative analyses of fossil, nuclear and renewable electricity generation, siting of new power plants or cost effectiveness of environmental mitigation policies. Key strengths of SIMPACTS are that it already delivers useful results when only limited data are available and that it can be used on a regular personal computer.
Participants at the workshop studied economic and environmental impacts of different electricity sources and the SIMPACTS modelling tool to evaluate the associated costs. They developed case studies based on country-specific data for different electricity projects currently under consideration in their countries. The case studies focused on the evaluation of nuclear power, siting, research reactors, impacts of hydro and coal power plants to human health as inputs to national energy systems assessments and planning.
“Used in combination with other IAEA tools to measure carbon emissions, SIMPACTS can facilitate the development of energy policy decisions and updates to Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement,” David Shropshire emphasized.
Through the energy planning and economic studies mechanisms, the Agency assists Member States in capacity building in the area of national and regional energy systems analysis and planning, so they can independently chart out their own national energy strategies.
“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.”
