Europe mulling a coal comeback

Europe, especially Germany, plans to bring back old-world coal to fuel massive power plants now under construction amid rising oil prices.

Despite the continent’s far-reaching standards on carbon emissions, rising oil prices and fear of Russia’s domination over natural gas supplies have prompted Europe to turn to coal for fuelling its 40 major coal-fired power stations it plans to build in the next five years.
Germany like Spain, Italy and other countries is swearing off nuclear power, planning to build 27 coal-fired stations by 2020. Many of them will be fueled by lignite, the soft “brown” coal that can emit a ton of carbon dioxide for every ton of fuel burned.

Over the next decade, new coal power plants in Europe could add 700 million tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere every year; a 39 percent increase according to the US-based Center for Global Development.

Press TV