The phase-out of coal dominates the current news on how to deal with climate change for good reason: because even though burning coal is the "dirtiest" way to generate electricity - causing severe damage to the climate, people, animals and the environment - there were still well over 1,000 coal-fired power plants in Europe as of March 2022.
Coal combustion
Coal-fired power plants are so-called steam power plants. In them, coal is burned to heat water and produce steam. The steam produced in this way sets turbines in motion. This mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy by generators. Coal-fired power plants specialise in processing either lignite or hard coal.
Phasing out electricity generation from coal
As of March 2022, there were 1,179 coal-fired power plants in Europe. According to a survey by the British think tank Ember, seven of the ten most climate-damaging coal-fired power plants in Europe operated in Germany in 2021. In 2021, Poland and Germany were responsible for 53% of emissions in the EU power sector.
In Germany, 96 coal-fired power plants are still connected to the electricity grid. However, the coal phase-out is a done deal. The last coal-fired power plant in Germany is to be shut down by 2038.
In Poland, 71 coal-fired power plants are still in operation and in 2021 70 % of the energy demand was still covered by coal. The phase-out is now planned until 2049.
However, the biggest environmental impact in Europe comes from the southeast. The 18 coal-fired power plants operating in the Balkan states emit two and a half times as much toxic sulphur dioxide as all 221 plants in the EU combined, according to data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
According to Statista, two-thirds of all coal-fired power plants worldwide are operated in China, India and the USA. Countries such as Austria and Belgium have already achieved coal-free status. In 2020, the last coal-fired power plant in Austria went off the grid. France and Italy are on the verge. In Norway, where hydropower plants cover about 60 % of Norway's electricity demand, coal-fired power generation plays no role in the electricity mix1. In Switzerland, there are no coal-fired power plants either.
Harmfulness of coal
No fossil energy source is as "dirty" as coal. In addition to the high CO2 emissions and the devastating negative effects on climate and air quality, coal mining, the effect on the environment and forests, and the damage to human and animal health are negative aspects of coal-fired power generation.
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