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Europe Turns Back to Coal, Raising Climate Fears
Elisabeth Rosenthal, New York Times
At a time when the world’s top climate experts agree that carbon emissions must be rapidly reduced to hold down global warming, Italy’s major electricity producer, Enel, is converting its massive power plant here from oil to coal, generally the dirtiest fuel on earth.
Over the next five years, Italy will increase its reliance on coal to 33 percent from 14 percent. Power generated by Enel from coal will rise to 50 percent.
And Italy is not alone in its return to coal. Driven by rising demand, record high oil and natural gas prices, concerns over energy security and an aversion to nuclear energy, European countries are expected to put into operation about 50 coal-fired plants over the next five years, plants that will be in use for the next five decades.
(23 April 2008)
Falling Polish coal output raises energy security fears
Platts
Poland’s largest hard coal companies said Wednesday they produced 1.8 million metric tonnes less in this year’s first quarter compared to the same period last year, raising concerns about supplies to the country’s power plants. Poland produces almost 95% of its electricity from coal-fired plants.
Poland’s largest coal producer, Kompania Weglowa, produced 11.4 million mt in the first quarter, close to 0.9 million mt less than in the same period in 2007, company spokesman Zbigniew Madej told Platts.
“But in relation to the company’s first quarter production forecast we produced only around 100,000-150,000 mt less than expected. The main reason for this was that the geological conditions caused some difficulties,” Madej said.
(23 April 2008)
Contributor driller writes:
Polish coal has been subsidised, but following an EU regulation from 2005 subsidies have to peter out by 2010. Therefore Poland planned to close down all mines stepwise except a few that work economically. I wonder if these still do so considering the recent steep inflation of Polish salaries adding on mining costs.
