The study provides a broad analysis on possible flexibility measures for thermal power generation, focusing on coal power plants: The first part of the study analyses major challenges related to the integration of large shares of renewables. The second part describes in detail current technical characteristics related to the flexibility of thermal power plants. The third part analyses some retrofit measures to increase the flexibility of coal power plants, including their technical and economic parameters. Fourth, our findings with regard to challenges and opportunities are discussed and put into perspective by spotlighting the situation in South Africa and Poland, two countries with large coal power generation shares. Just like other countries around the world, China faces the challenge of flexibility measures in the power system. This translation into Chinese of the study is directed into the Chinese debate around flexibility of thermal power plants.
