Coal in Europe
Coal in Europe is a term describing the use of coal as an
Coal power generation in the
Despite a 4.3% increase in the EU's coal consumption in 2022 alongside an all-time high globally, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted that the demand for coal would decrease in the majority of advanced economies in 2023 with any subsequent rise unlikely to occur again.[4] The largest declines in consumption are anticipated in the EU and the United States with a reduction of around 20% in 2023.[5]
Coal supply in the EU
According to the International Energy Agency, the EU28 countries' use of coal as fuel decreased from 5,289 terawatt hours (TWh) in 1990 to 3,057 TWh in 2015, a reduction of 42%. During the same period, global coal use increased by 73%.[6][7]
The following shows EU28's use of coal in each year.
- 1990 – 5,289 TWh
- 1995 – 4,246 TWh
- 2000 – 3,735 TWh
- 2005 – 3,702 TWh
- 2010 – 3,293 TWh
- 2015 – 3,057 TWh
Coal types
Coal types include anthracite, bituminous coal, lignite, and peat. Coal from fields differ in ash and moisture content, energy value, volatile elements, sulphur content, and other properties. Anthracite and bituminous coal are of relatively high value compared to lignite and peat, which have lower energy and higher moisture content. Coal is often used in the iron and steel industries or to produce energy.
Production and import
Russia (365 Mt), Germany (176 Mt), and Poland (131 Mt) are the largest producers of coal in Europe as of 2016. The largest net importer was Germany with 53 Mt, and the largest net exporter was Russia with 147 Mt.[8] The countries with the largest electricity production from coal in 2016 were Germany (284 TWh), Russia (159 TWh), and Poland (133 TWh).[9]
Electricity
In 2020, think-tank Carbon Tracker estimated that over 80% of coal-fired plants were already more expensive than new renewable counterparts and that by 2025, they all would be.[10]
Transition away from coal in the EU
The
Over the past decade, coal emissions in the EU have decreased by 40%. This reduction aligns with the goals of the EU Emissions Trading System (
Germany has the highest number of coal plants in Europe, and its 53
In February 2024, the European Commission approved a €300 million Polish scheme to aid workers affected by the closure of coal- and lignite-fired power plants and mines. The scheme offers one-year severance payments and paid leave for employees nearing retirement. It aligns with EU State aid rules and supports
Opposition
Coal, the largest artificial contributor to
New coal pollution mitigation technology, which often refers to carbon capture and storage, seeks to capture carbon dioxide from power plants and prevent it from entering the atmosphere by storing it. Proponents of this approach argue that it can effectively eliminate coal's contributions to climate change, while opponents doubt whether it can be accomplished on a large scale.[17]
The Dutch Research Institute CE Delft estimates that the worldwide "external costs," or hidden costs, of coal in 2007 were €360 billion, excluding the costs of accidents, mining damages, and any loss of cultural heritage or human rights violations that occur as a result of coal production.[16] According to the IEA, the coal-based emissions in 1971–2008 were 303,262 Mt worldwide, 58,210 Mt (19.2%) in OECD Europe, and 5,086 Mt (1.7%) in non-OECD Europe.[a] The estimated external costs of coal carbon emissions in 2007 were €69 billion in OECD Europe and €6 billion in non-OECD Europe.[18]
On 20 June 2022, Dutch Climate and Energy Minister
Accidents
- Gleision Colliery mining accident UK September 2011
- Suhodolskaya-Vostochnaya coal mineUkraine July 2011
- 2010 Zonguldak mine disaster Turkey May 2010
- Raspadskaya mine explosion Russia, May 2010
- 2009 Wujek-Śląsk mine blast Poland, September 2009
- 2009 Handlová mine blast Slovakia, August 2009
- Petrila Mine disaster Romania November 2008
- 2008 Ukraine coal mine collapse Ukraine June 2008
- 2007 Zasyadko mine disaster Ukraine November 2007
- Yubileynaya mine Russia May 2007
- Ulyanovskaya Mine disaster Russia, March 2007
- Luisenthal Mine Germany February 1962
- Marcinelle mining disaster Belgium August 1956
- Courrières mine disaster France March 1906
Climate change
Annual coal carbon emissions (2005–2008 average) were highest per capita in Europe in the Czech Republic (7.4 Mt), Kazakhstan (6.9 Mt), Poland (5.5 Mt), Finland (4.8 Mt), Serbia (4.5 Mt), and Germany (4.1 Mt).
Annual CO2 emissions from coal in Europe (Mt) (IAE) | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Population | 1990 | 2000 | 2000-4 | 2005-8= # | # / 2000 | # / 1990 | # / capita | ||
1 | Russia | 141.8 | 687 | 441 | 427 | 421 | 95% | 61% | 3.0 |
2 | Germany | 82.1 | 505 | 337 | 342 | 337 | 100% | 67% | 4.1 |
3 | Poland | 38.1 | 287 | 217 | 211 | 210 | 97% | 73% | 5.5 |
4 | Ukraine | 46.3 | 283 | 116 | 127 | 139 | 120% | 49% | 3.0 |
5 | United Kingdom | 61.4 | 238 | 138 | 144 | 147 | 106% | 62% | 2.4 |
6 | Turkey | 71.1 | 58 | 89 | 80 | 105 | 118% | 181% | 1.5 |
7 | Kazakhstan | 15.7 | 153 | 80 | 90 | 108 | 135% | 71% | 6.9 |
8 | Czech Republic | 10.4 | 121 | 84 | 80 | 77 | 92% | 64% | 7.4 |
9 | Italy | 59.9 | 55 | 43 | 54 | 63 | 146% | 115% | 1.1 |
10 | Spain | 45.6 | 74 | 81 | 79 | 70 | 86% | 95% | 1.5 |
11 | France | 64.1 | 74 | 58 | 50 | 52 | 90% | 70% | 0.8 |
12 | Romania | 21.5 | 50 | 29 | 32 | 35 | 123% | 71% | 1.6 |
13 | Greece | 11.2 | 33 | 37 | 38 | 36 | 96% | 108% | 3.2 |
14 | Serbia | 7.4 | 41 | 35 | 37 | 33 | 94% | 79% | 4.5 |
15 | Bulgaria | 7.6 | 37 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 116% | 80% | 3.9 |
16 | Netherlands | 16.4 | 32 | 29 | 32 | 30 | 103% | 95% | 1.8 |
17 | Finland | 5.3 | 21 | 21 | 29 | 25 | 122% | 121% | 4.8 |
18 | Belgium | 10.7 | 39 | 29 | 23 | 18 | 61% | 45% | 1.6 |
19 | Denmark | 5.5 | 24 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 114% | 74% | 3.2 |
20 | Austria | 8.3 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 108% | 97% | 1.9 |
TOP 20 | 730.4 | 2,827 | 1,920 | 1,935 | 1,970 | 103% | 70% | ||
Mt = million tonnes of CO2 # = 2005–2008 Top 20 countries and the number order based on emissions in 2008 2000–2004 and 2005–2008 = average annual emission |
See also
- Coal mining
Notes
- ex-Soviet states.
References
- ^ "Why the Balkans is struggling to kick coal". IEA Clean Coal Centre. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ "Carbon capture, storage and utilisation". energy.ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ a b "EU coal regions in transition - European Commission". energy.ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Global coal demand expected to decline in coming years - News". IEA. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "Executive summary – Coal 2023 – Analysis". IEA. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ EU28 Primary Energy Supply, International Energy Agency
- ^ World Primary Energy Supply, International Energy Agency
- ^ Key World Energy Statistics 2017, International Energy Agency, p. 18 Archived 7 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Key World Energy Statistics 2017, International Energy Agency, p. 32 Archived 7 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ How to Retire Early: Making accelerated coal phaseout feasible and just (Report). Carbon Tracker. June 2020.
- ^ "The EU's 'dirty list': Which countries are burning the most coal?". euronews. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Europe's clashes over coal may extend well beyond Poland". Reuters. 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Press corner". European Commission - European Commission. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ Dirty Thirty, Ranking of the most polluting power stations in Europe Archived 28 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine 5/2007, WWF
- doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2008.01.033. Archived from the original(PDF) on 25 October 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
- ^ a b The True Cost of Coal Greenpeace 27 November 2008
- ^ Rosenthal, Elisabeth Europe Turns Back to Coal, Raising Climate Fears 23 April 2008 The New York Times 24 November 2011
- ^ IEA Key World Energy Statistics 2011 Archived 16 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine October 2011. Table: CO2 emissions: Sectoral Approach – Coal/peat
- ^ "Dutch join Germany, Austria, in reverting to coal". Agence France-Presse. 20 June 2022.