• MrMakabar@slrpnk.net
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      5 months ago

      This is hardly massive news. It was very predictable since years. Germany started up a lot of coal power plants to replace gas power plants in Germany and for its neighbours. With Putin cutting gas supply to most EU countries that was needed. So as of right now German coal power plants have to competete with what was already a relativly strong built up of renewables, which again is going on for years. Coal power plants have lost money in 2019 and the only reason the are still running as much as they do is the still high gas price. They are being squeezed right now and most forecasts I have read claim a pracitcal end for coal in Germany in 2028.

      So Germany being super entreneched in coal is just bs. The German coal industry was saved by Putin.

      • MrMakabar@slrpnk.net
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        5 months ago

        No, lignite is not energy dense enough to make it worth it. The power plants are right next to the mines, to make it econonomical. Those power plants are among the largest in the world in terms of electricity production. There is a bit of exports, but most of it is for soil improvment.