Germany will burn more coal, the most polluting fossil fuel, amid concerns over a possible power shortage caused by a cut in Russia’s supply, its economy minister said.
Robert Habeck said Germany must limit the use of gas to generate electricity, after the big Russian oil company Gazprom announced that it would reduce supplies through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, apparently for technical reasons.
The situation forces the government to burn more coal, which emits twice as much carbon dioxide to heat the climate as gas, during a “transition period,” Habeck said.
“This is bitter, but in this situation it is simply necessary to reduce gas consumption,” said Habeck of the Green Party.
The government also offers incentives for companies to limit gas use, and plans to divert spare fuel to fill storage facilities before next winter, the “top priority.”
“Obviously Putin’s (Russian President Vladimir’s) strategy is to worry about raising the price and dividing us,” Habeck said. “We will not let that happen.”
Germany, like many countries in the European Union and the United Kingdom, had increasingly relied on imported gas in recent decades as a cleaner, though still polluting, alternative to coal.
Many of these countries have now indicated that they will burn more coal in an attempt to curb cash flow to Moscow and improve energy security in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The UK has extended the life of a coal plant to boost energy security, although last year it pressed other countries to “put coal in history”.
“Countries are making difficult and urgent decisions in an emergency,” said Dave Jones of the Ember climate think tank.
Jones described Germany’s decision to increase coal power once again as an “emergency response, but with luck in the short term.”
“Looking to the future, governments need to focus on how to reduce gas demand,” he said.
So far, their response has focused on doubling wind and solar construction to generate electricity, but they will need “rapid action for all sectors that use gas,” such as heavy industry and heating, he added.
Mohamed Adow, who heads the Power Shift Africa climate think tank, said the coal increase was a “devastating blow” to people at the forefront of the climate crisis.
As rich and historic polluters like Germany have not yet built enough wind and solar, it is the “vulnerable climate that will suffer the consequences when Germany becomes coal,” Adow added.
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9:36 As leaders warn of the danger of expanding the use of fossil fuels, Michael Regan, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, speaks to Sky News.
Germany, a major Russian gas user for some time, began to reduce imports after the latest invasion of Ukraine. Its climate goal of phasing out coal by 2030 remains in place, as does its policy of shutting down the remaining three nuclear power plants by 2023.
Berlin also plans to expand its renewable energy generation – already one of the most ambitious countries – and improve gas storage and energy efficiency measures.
“Security of supply is currently guaranteed, but the situation is serious,” Habeck said.
But Germany says Russian gas will be essential for a while yet until there are alternative sources of energy, such as LNG carried by ship.
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