Coal-fired power plant in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany (2021) | Martin Meissner / AP Photo
Several European countries are preparing to restart their old thermal power plants. This is in response to Russia’s reduction in its supply of natural gas to Europe. The move to return to coal goes against the climate change efforts desired by European governments, but it is a tough decision due to concerns about energy shortages in winter.
◆ Intentionally reduced gas supply?Energy is a weapon
Germany’s new coalition government, which was launched at the end of last year, has put climate change measures at the center of its agenda, aiming to eliminate coal by 2030. The ambitious plan included zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.However, Germany’s plans have been shaken as Russia has narrowed down the supply of natural gas to the European countries that are in conflict with the invasion of Ukraine.The Washington Post(WP) states. The German Ministry of Economy has announced that it will restart an unspecified number of coal-fired power plants in response to the reduction in gas supply.
Russia’s state-owned energy giant Gazprom says that restrictions on the supply of natural gas are a technical problem with the pipeline “Nord Stream 1” that extends to Germany. But Germany’s economic minister, Robert Habeck, has blamed Russia for political motives and that reducing gas supplies is an “energy-armed attack” (WP).
Resuming coal-fired power is a tough decision, Harbeck said, as coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel in terms of emissions and is considered the most important conversion target in the transition to renewable energy. But he said the situation was “serious,” and argued that coal supplementation needed to reduce gas consumption in the summer and fall and store gas for the winter. ((CNBC）