RWE says 2035 is too early for German coal exit

• 5 years ago (2018-09-17)
• David Flin

Coal 273 Europe 1061

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The German utility RWE said that it opposes plans to end coal-fired power generation in the country by 2035. RWE said that the date was unacceptable, and that more investments in grids and renewable energy were needed to secure energy supply in the future. It said that climate protection goals need to be balanced with the interests of customers and employees.

Ronald Pofalla, one of four heads of a government body tasked with planning Germany’s exit from coal and setting an exit date by the end of the year, had proposed to abandon coal between 2035 and 2038. The German economy ministry declined to comment.

Germany aims to raise wind and solar power’s energy share from a third now to 65 per cent by 2030 to help to cut CO2 emissions and achieve its climate commitments. Coal-fired power production from both brown coal and imported hard coal accounts for 40 per cent of Germany’s total power production. Germany is also abandoning nuclear power production by the end of 2022.