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Coal in Europe

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See also: Coal in Turkey

Tuzla Thermal Power Plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina is controversial[1]

Coal in Europe describes the use of coal as an energy fuel in Europe. Coal includes hard coal, black coal, and brown coal.

Coal production in Europe is falling, and imports exceed production. There is, however, growing controversy in Europe over the use of coal, as many denounce it for reasons such as health risks and links to global warming.

Coal supply in the EU

International Energy Agency reports data for EU28 countries since 1990. According to IEA, EU28 countries use of coal as fuel went from 5,289 TWh in 1990 to 3,057 TWh in 2015, a reduction of 42%. During the same period, coal use in the world increased by 73%.[2][3] EU28 use of coal:

  • 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 includes 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 relatively high value compared to lignite and peat, which have lower energy and higher moisture contents. Coal is often used in the iron and steel industry, or to produce energy.

Production and import

See also: List of countries by coal production, List of European countries by coal production, and List of coalfields

Russia (365 Mt), Germany (176 Mt) and Poland (131 Mt) are the largest producers of coal in Europe as of 2016. Largest net importer was Germany with 53 Mt, and the largest net exporter was Russia with 147 Mt.[4] Largest electricity production from coal in 2016 were in Germany (284 TWh), Russia (159 TWh) and Poland (133 TWh).[5]

Electricity

In 2020 think tank Carbon Tracker estimated that over 80% of coal-fired plants were already more expensive than new renewables and that all of them would be by 2025.[6]

Opposition

WWF ranked Niederaußem lignite power plant by RWE in Köln as the most polluting power plant in Germany in 2007 with the relative emissions of 1.200 g CO2/kWh[7]

Coal, as the largest artificial contributor to carbon dioxide emissions,[8] has been attacked for its detrimental effects on health. Coal has been linked to acid rain, smog pollution, respiratory diseases, mining accidents, reduced agricultural yields and climate change.[9] Proponents of coal downplay these claims and instead advocate the low cost of using coal for energy.

Coal technology has also advanced over the years, and emissions of soot and gases released in the burning of coal have been greatly reduced. New coal pollution mitigation technology, which often refers to carbon capture and storage, is a new and still-developing technology that 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 done on a large scale.[10]

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.[9] According to 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. Europe here excludes European Russia and all the ex-Soviet states. The estimated external costs of coal carbon emissions in 2007 were €69 billion in OECD Europe and €6 billion in non-OECD Europe.[11]

On 20 June 2022, Dutch climate and energy minister Rob Jetten announces that the Netherlands will remove all restrictions on the operation of coal-fired power stations until at least 2024, in response to Russia's refusal to export natural gas to the country. Operations were previously limited to less than a third of the total production.[12]

The coal mining industry also has occupational hazards. In the Komi Republic, Russia, at the centre of the mining industry, occupational diseases are five time more prevalent than in the rest of the Russian Federation. Accidents are also known to happen in coal mines, caused by the liberation of methane from mining.[13]

Accidents

See also: List of mining disasters in Poland and 2011 Ukraine mine accidents

Climate change

See also: Climate change in Europe

Annual coal carbon emissions (2005–2008 average) were highest per capita in Europe in Czech Republic 7.4, Kazakhstan 6.9, Poland 5.5, Finland 4.8, Serbia 4.5 and Germany 4.1.

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 UK 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

References

  1. ^ "Why the Balkans is struggling to kick coal". IEA Clean Coal Centre. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  2. ^ EU28 Primary Energy Supply, International Energy Agency
  3. ^ World Primary Energy Supply, International Energy Agency
  4. ^ Key World Energy Statistics 2017, International Energy Agency, p. 18 Archived 7 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Key World Energy Statistics 2017, International Energy Agency, p. 32 Archived 7 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ How to Retire Early: Making accelerated coal phaseout feasible and just (Report). Carbon Tracker. June 2020.
  7. ^ Dirty Thirty, Ranking of the most polluting power stations in Europe Archived 28 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine 5/2007, WWF
  8. ^ Lenzen, Manfred; Hardy, Clarence; Bilek, Marcela; Dey, Christopher (2008). "Life-cycle energy balance and greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear energy: A review" (PDF). SLS – USyd – USyd-ISA – Energy Conversion & Management. 49 (8): 2178–2199. doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2008.01.033. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  9. ^ a b The True Cost of Coal Greenpeace 27 November 2008
  10. ^ Rosenthal, Elisabeth Europe Turns Back to Coal, Raising Climate Fears 23 April 2008 The New York Times 24 November 2011
  11. ^ IEA Key World Energy Statistics 2011 Archived 16 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine October 2011. Table: CO2 emissions: Sectoral Approach – Coal/peat
  12. ^ "Dutch join Germany, Austria, in reverting to coal". Agence France-Presse. 20 June 2022.
  13. ^ Coal from the East and the South, Responsibility in energy company coal purchases, FinnWatch 23 December 2010
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