Germany may extend coal use to replace Russian gas
Germany could extend its use of coal as the country rethinks its energy plans in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Economy Minister Robert Habeck.
The former co-leader of the Green party said coal plants could run for longer and even said he wasn’t “ideologically opposed” to extending the use of nuclear energy. Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Sunday plans to build two new liquefied natural gas terminals to expand Germany’s energy choices and reduce its reliance on Russia.
The government wants to reach a point where it can “pick and choose which countries we want to build energy partnerships with,” Habeck said in an interview late on Sunday on ARD television. “Being able to choose also means, in case of doubt, that you can become independent from Russian gas, coal or oil.”
While Germany can manage without Russian gas for the coming months, the country would have to expand its purchasing strategy significantly for next winter, he said.
Extending the use of coal beyond 2030 might entail risks, and in the long term, there’s no alternative to renewable power in terms of energy security, Habeck said.
“Running for longer means a longer dependence on coal, possibly also from Russia. Or we get it somewhere else,” he said. “But it’s another form of dependence.”
Nuclear is unlikely to be a short-term fix, since the country’s last three reactors are already in the process of being wound down.
“The preparations for shutting down are at such an advanced stage that the atomic power plants could only be operated for longer under the highest security concerns and possibly with fuel supply that hasn’t yet been secured,” Habeck said. “That’s certainly not something we’d want.”
Comments
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
ESAB South Arica, the leading supplier of high-end welding and cutting products to the Southern African industrial market is based in...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Rentech provides renewable energy products and services to the local and selected African markets. Supplying inverters, lithium and lead-acid...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
