Germany Debates the Future of Coal Mining

Some say the German mining industry is squandering too much money and that production should cease as soon as possible, whereas others argue that coal is the energy source of the future.

German hard coal stopped making money a long time ago. Whereas the price for a metric ton of coal on the world market is 60 euros ($78) the cost of extracting one ton in Germany is 165 euros. The German hard-coal mining industry would not survive without subsidies worth billions of euros. The political pressure to shut down the mines is growing.

Yet, Germany’s Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources recently reported that in 25 years coal will be the most important energy source worldwide, stating that by 2030 the oil extraction peak would have been reached and the availability of natural gases would be more limited than is often assumed.

These two conflicting points have been hotly debated in Germany, particularly as the federal government prepared this week for an end of December meeting between politicians and industry representatives to find common ground on coal. The pressing question is whether the German mining industry has a future and, if it does, at what cost.

Deutsche Welle