Europe and coal

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Proposed coal plants

Overview

According to a November 2012 working paper released by the World Resources Institute, there are 69 proposed coal plants totalling 65,421 MW in Europe (excluding Russia). The paper estimated that an additional 26,000 to 48,000 MW of coal-fired electrical generating capacity will also be added in Russia by 2030, but did not list project names or locations.[1]

Table 1 (sortable): Proposed coal plants in Europe (excluding Russia)

The following table provides a preliminary list of proposed coal plants in Europe (excluding Russia). Most locations are from the CARMA database.[2] In cases where locations were not available from CARMA, latitude and longitude were derived by locating the nearest village, town, or city to the plant, using iTouchMap.com. Names are derived from the appendices provided in WRI's "Global Coal Risk Assessment" working paper.[1]

Table columns may be sorted by clicking on the header.

Country Project Developer Status MW Latitude Longitude
Albania Porto Romano power station Enel shelved 1600 41.371141 19.425201
Austria Enns Power Station Energie shelved 800 48.21309 14.475222
Belarus Zelwa power station Bielenergo shelved 1000 53.15 24.8167
Belgium Antwerp Power Station E.ON Kraftwerke abandoned 800 51.219216 4.402882
Bosnia-Herzegovina Bugojno Thermal Power Project applying for permits 300 44.05 17.45
Bosnia-Herzegovina Gacko Thermal Power Plant Expansion CEZ announced 300 43.16722 18.53527
Bosnia-Herzegovina Kakanj Thermal Power Plant Expansion EPBIH applying for permits 300 44.09555 18.11722
Bosnia-Herzegovina Kamengrad Thermal Power Plant announced 430 44.766667 16.666667
Bosnia-Herzegovina Kongora Thermal Power Plant Elektroprivreda HZHB applying for permits 2275 43.64611 17.33139
Bosnia-Herzegovina Stanari Thermal Power Plant Dongfang Electric Corp permitted 410 44.759289 17.823207
Bosnia-Herzegovina Tuzla Thermal Power Plant Expansion EPBIH applying for permits 450 44.54277 18.66944
Bosnia-Herzegovina Ugljevik 3 Comsar Energy Republika Srpska applying for permits 660 44.683531 18.96885
Bulgaria Bobov Dol Power Station Energia MK announced 400 42.28516 23.0344
Bulgaria Lom Power Station Enemona announced 500 43.7825 23.2175
Bulgaria Maritsa Iztok-1 Power Station (AES Galabovo) AES operating 2011 670 42.1573 25.9084
Bulgaria Maritsa Iztok-2 Power Station Units 9 and 10 BEH applying for permits 560 42.255 26.135
Bulgaria Maritsa Iztok-3 Power Station Enel shelved 750 42.1444 26.0033
Croatia Plomin C Thermal Power Plant HEP applying for permits 500 45.137267 14.164156
Czech Republic Kladno Power Station Alpiq under construction 175 50.15341 14.1285
Czech Republic Ledvice Power Station CEZ under construction 660 50.5766 13.7794
Czech Republic Mostecka Power Station CZ Coal announced 1200 50.503 13.63617
Czech Republic Prunerov Power Station CEZ permitted 750 50.41861 13.25861
Germany Arneburg Power Station RWE shelved 1600 52.674146 11.998408
Germany Berlin (Klingenberg) Power Station Vattenfall abandoned 800 52.49 13.495
Germany Boxberg Power Station Vattenfall operating 2012 675 49.481818 9.637525
Germany Brunsbüttel Power Station SWS abandoned 1820 53.9 9.15
Germany Brunsbüttel Power Station GDF SUEZ abandoned 830 53.89889 9.133885
Germany Datteln Power Station E.ON under construction 1070 51.62928 7.33067
Germany Dörpen Power Station EnBW and BKW abandoned 900 52.967957 7.341997
Germany Emden Power Station DONG Energy abandoned 1600 53.359403 7.20601
Germany Ensdorf Power Station Expansion RWE abandoned 1600 49.3 6.7833333
Germany Germersheim Power Station EnBW abandoned 800 49.214024 8.366815
Germany Greifswald Power Station DONG Energy cancelled 1600 54.134565 13.617597
Germany Herne 5 Power Station Evonik Steag shelved 750 51.550578 7.186947
Germany Hürth Power Station RWE Power shelved 450 50.880593 6.888142
Germany Ingelheimer Aue Power Station KWM cancelled 823 49.992862 8.247253
Germany Jänschwalde Power Station Vattenfall Europe abandoned 500 51.859392 14.494332
Germany Kiel Power Station Stadtwerke Kiel and E.ON abandoned 800 54.323293 10.122765
Germany Krefeld-Uerdingen Power Station Trianel Power Kohlekraftwerk abandoned 810 51.356025 6.639244
Germany Lausward Power Station Stadtwerke Düsseldorf abandoned 400 51.222374 6.740086
Germany Lubmin Power Station DONG Energy abandoned 1620 54.134565 13.617597
Germany Lünen Power Station (STEAG) Evonik STEAG shelved 900 51.610483 7.528507
Germany Lünen Power Station (Trianel) Trianel Power construction frozen, permit anulled 810 51.61666 7.51666
Germany Mannheim Power Station Expansion Grosskraftwerk Mannheim (GKM) construction 911 49.445584 8.489985
Germany Marl Infracor announced 900 51.659123 7.106022
Germany Mittelsbüren Power Station SWB AG abandoned 910 53.124816 8.692814
Germany Moorburg Power Station Vattenfall Europe construction 1680 53.488275 9.938122
Germany Neurath Power Station RWE Rheinbraun operating 2012 2030 51.037387 6.611753
Germany Niederaussem (Bergheim) Power Station RWE applying for permits 2000 50.99555 6.66916
Germany Niehl Power Station RheinEnergie abandoned 800 49.954235 6.362533
Germany Profen Power Station EPH applying for permits 660 51.13333 12.21667
Germany Quierschied-Weiher Power Station expansion Evonik Steag abandoned 800 49.335176 7.031465
Germany Rheinhafen Power Station ENBW construction 910 50.393354 7.592532
Germany Stade Power Station Dow Chemical (USA) applying for permits 1000 53.6 9.48333
Germany Stade Power Station (Dow/ENBW) Dow Deutschland and ENBW abandoned 1000 53.6 9.48333
Germany Stade Power Station (E.ON) E.ON abandoned 1100 53.6 9.48333
Germany Stade Power Station (GDF Suez) GDF Suez abandoned 830 53.6 9.48333
Germany Staudinger Power Station Expansion E.ON shelved 1100 50.092092 8.947538
Germany Walsum 10 Power Station Steag and EVN construction 790 51.529465 6.714921
Germany Westfalen Power Station - Units D and E RWE construction 1640 51.678623 7.970023
Germany Wilhelmshaven Power Station E.ON abandoned 550 53.53234 8.106872
Greece Agios Dimitrios 6 (Ptolemais) PPC announced 600 40.394251 21.925364
Greece Agios Nikolaos Power Station Endesa Hellas shelved 600 38.9 23.03333
Greece Aliveri VI power station PPC Greece abandoned 800 38.3896 24.0524
Greece Astakos Power Station T-Power shelved 600 38.535719 21.082068
Greece Meliti, Florina Power Station PPC announced 450 40.78197 21.40981
Greece Ptolemaida V Power Station PPC permitted 600 40.409707 21.787573
Greece Ptolemais Power Station PPC announced 660 40.512997 21.678466
Greece Vegora, Florina Power Station GEK Terna shelved 460 40.68333 21.71666
Hungary Borsod power station AES shelved 330 0 0
Hungary Matra power station expansion MVM abandoned 440 47.79027 20.06358
Hungary Mecsek Hills syngas (Váralja site) Phase I Wildhorse Energy applying for permits 61 46.229776 18.449478
Hungary Mecsek Hills syngas (Váralja site) Phase II Wildhorse Energy applying for permits 130 46.229776 18.449478
Hungary Mohacs power station EON abandoned 1200 46.00463 18.67943
Hungary Torony power station abandoned 600 47.238767 16.534753
Italy Civitavecchia/ Torrevaldaliga Nord 1 & 2 Power Station Enel operating 2008 1980 42.1269 11.7583
Italy Fiume Santo Power Station expansion E.ON permitted 410 40.85166 8.29916
Italy Porto Tolle Power Station Enel applying for permits 1980 44.94968 12.32452
Italy Rossano Calabro Power Station Enel abandoned 800 39.622666 16.606747
Italy Saline Joniche Power Station Repower applying for permits 1320 37.934933 15.725
Italy Vado Ligure Power Station Tirreno Power applying for permits 460 44.27666 8.43083
Kosovo Kosovo C Power Station KEK announced 500 42.67675 21.0867
Montenegro Maoce Power Station tbd announced 500 43.34704 19.359884
Montenegro Pljevlja II Power Station EPCG unclear 230 43.3567 19.35842
Netherlands Eemshaven Power Station RWE under construction 1600 53.440042 6.87772
Netherlands EuroPoort C.GEN abandoned 800 51.943333 4.1425
Netherlands Geertruidenberg Power Station Essent abandoned 800-1100 51.708337 4.844627
Netherlands Maasvlakte Power Station (E.ON) E.ON under construction 1100 51.958734 4.027208
Netherlands Maasvlakte Power Station (Electrabel) GDF Suez under construction 800 51.958734 4.027208
Poland Blachownia Nowa Power Station Tauron shelved 309 50.783333 18.966667
Poland Czeczott Power Station RWE abandoned 800 0 0
Poland Gryfino Power Station PGE abandoned 1720 53.25238 14.48823
Poland Gubin Power Station PGE applying for permits 2700 51.948982 14.728458
Poland Jaworzno 3 Power Station Tauron permitted 910 50.20777 19.20972
Poland Kedzierzyn-Koźle Power Station Tauron abandoned 910 50.34988 18.226184
Poland Kozienice Power Station ENEA permitted 1000 51.58293 21.54779
Poland Leczna Power Station GDF Suez applying for permits 766 51.3009 22.88211
Poland Legnica Power Station GDF Suez announced 0 51.207007 16.155323
Poland Lublin Power Station PGE applying for permit 1600 51.25 22.56666
Poland Lublin-Wrotkow Power Station PGE abandoned 0 51.209986 22.554122
Poland Opole Power Station expansion PGE applying for permits 1800 50.75182 17.88196
Poland Ostroleka Power Station Energa Ostroleka permitted 1000 53.10444 21.61202
Poland Piast Ruch Power Station RWE announced 800 50.016287 19.096709
Poland Police Power Station GDF Suez abandoned 1430 53.552042 14.572061
Poland Polnoc Power Station Kulczyk Investments applying for permits 2000 53.490654 14.586891
Poland Puławy Power Station Zakłady Azotowe Puławy (ZAP) shelved 0 51.416443 21.969309
Poland Rybnik Power Station EDF under construction 910 50.13333 18.52361
Poland Siechnice Power Station Kogeneracja S.A. permitted 120 51.03365 17.14733
Poland Siekierski Power Station Vattenfall shelved 400 0 0
Poland Turow Power Station PGE announced 460 50.94861 14.91305
Poland Tychy Power Station Tauron applying for permits 120 50.121801 19.020002
Poland Wola (Silesia) RWE announced 900 50.016287 19.096709
Poland Wolow Power Station PCC Rokita shelved 900 51.341389 16.628333
Poland Zabrze CHP Fortum announced 350 50.324928 18.785719
Poland Zabrze Power Station Fortum announced 350 50.324928 18.785719
Poland Zarnowiec Power Station Polish Power shelved 800 54.787416 18.085672
Romania Braila-4 Power Station Enel/EON applying for permits 800 45.165236 27.924064
Romania Craiova II Power Station CEZ, Edison, AES announced 500 44.34735 23.81512
Romania Doicesti Power Station SC Doicesti applying for permits 500 45.002896 25.397236
Romania Electrocentrale Deva Power Station SC Electrocentrale DEVA SA announced 450 45.877049 22.913017
Romania Galati-4 Power Station Enel cancelled 2013 800 45.43496 27.98178
Romania Halanga, Drobeta-Turnu Severin RAAN (Romag-Termo CHPP Romania) announced 400 44.675201 22.688141
Romania Isalnita-3 Power Station CEN Craiova unclear 500 44.38844 23.717422
Romania Paroseni Power Station Electrocentrale SA (Termoelectrica) applying for permits 200 45.378559 23.29468
Romania Rovinari Power Station SC Complexul Energetic Rovinari announced 500 44.91342 23.13367
Serbia Kolubara B Power Station EDF/Edison applying for permits 750 44.4675 20.28444
Serbia Kostolac Power Station EPS permitted 921 44.71194 21.16888
Serbia Nicola Tesla B3 (TENT B3) Power Station EPS announced 700 44.65485 20.200166
Serbia Stavalj Power Station Alta AS announced 350 43.27305 19.99944
Slovakia Trebisov CES abandoned 720 48.623382 21.719973
Slovenia Sostanj-6 Power Station TES (HSE) under construction 600 46.38 15.048611
United Kingdom Blyth Power Station REW nPower abandoned 2400 55.126957 -1.510277
United Kingdom Cockenzie Power Station (Proposed) Iberdrola abandoned 1200 55.967518 -2.967042
United Kingdom Don Valley Power Project Powerfuel abandoned, CCS finance dependent 900 53.595816 -1.019411
United Kingdom Eston Grange Progressive Energy abandoned, CCS finance dependent 800 54.566667 -1.233333
United Kingdom Ferrybridge Power Station (Proposed Supercritical) SSE abandoned 1000 53.716748 -1.281743
United Kingdom Grangemouth Summit Power CCS finance dependent 400 56.012083 -3.697175
United Kingdom High Marnham Power Station E.ON abandoned 1600 53.222452 -0.792917
United Kingdom Hunterston Power Station Ayreshire Power shelved 1600 55.720194 -4.89893
United Kingdom Immingham SSE abandoned 450 53.614012 -0.215913
United Kingdom Kingsnorth Power Station (Proposed) E.ON abandoned 1600 51.416713 0.603039
United Kingdom Longannet Power Station (Proposed) Iberdrola abandoned 2400 56.049465 -3.682265
United Kingdom North Killingholme IGCC Project CGEN abandoned, CCS finance dependent 450 53.639527 0.274234
United Kingdom Tilbury Power Station (Proposed) REW nPower abandoned 1600 51.456521 0.388119
United Kingdom Wansbeck Progressive Energy abandoned 800 55.183959 -1.579464
United Kingdom Westfield Global Energy abandoned 400 50.907646 0.572934
Ukraine Unnamed Ukraine power station tbd announced 1400

A declining role for coal in power generation

In 2012, it was reported that coal's share of generation in Europe had declined from 39.4 percent to 25.7 percent over the past 20 years. Of the 120 coal fired power plants proposed in Europe in 2007, none have been brought to the construction stage.[3]

Schwarzenegger clause

In October 2008, the European Parliament's Environment Committee voted to support a limit on CO2 emissions for all new coal plants built in the EU after 2015. The so-called "Schwarzenegger clause" applies to all plants with a capacity over 300MW, and limits their annual CO2 emissions to a maximum of 500 grammes per kilowatt hour. The new emissions standard essentially rules out traditional coal plant technologies and mandates the use of Carbon Capture and Storage technologies. The Committee also adopted an amendment to support the financing of 12 large-scale commercial CCS demonstration projects, at a cost that could exceed €10 billion.[4][5]

Health effects

Health costs of coal

The 2013 Greenpeace report, "Silent Killers: Why Europe must replace coal power with green energy," concluded that air pollution from Europe's 300 largest coal power stations causes 22,300 premature deaths a year and costs companies and governments billions of pounds in disease treatment and lost working days.

A 2013 report by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) found that burning coal to produce electricity costs Europeans €42.8 billion (US $55 billion) in health care costs annually. About €8 billion of that is Poland, a heavy coal user. The new report is based on a calculation of the costs associated with premature deaths resulting from exposure to coal-related air pollution, medical visits, hospitalizations, medication and reduced activity, including working days lost.[6]

Estimated cost of air pollution in Europe

A 2011 analysis by the European environment agency (EEA), 'Revealing the costs of air pollution from industrial facilities in Europe,' estimates that air pollution from industry costs Britain £3.4bn-£9.5bn a year in health and environmental damage. When CO2 costs are included, the figure rises to £9.5bn-£15.5bn. The industrial facilities covered by the analysis include large power plants, refineries, manufacturing combustion and industrial processes, waste and certain agricultural activities. Emissions from power plants contributed the largest share of the damage costs (estimated at €66–112 billion). Other significant contributions to the overall damage costs came from production processes (€23–28 billion) and manufacturing combustion (€8–21 billion). Sectors excluded from the EEA analysis include transport, households and most agicultural activities – if these were included the cost of pollution would be even higher.

A small number of individual facilities cause the majority of damage costs. Three quarters of the total damage costs were caused by the emissions from just 622 industrial facilities – 6 % of the total number. The facilities with emissions associated with a high damage cost are in most cases some of the largest facilities in Europe which release the greatest amount of pollutants. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions contribute the most to the overall damage costs, approximately €63 billion in 2009. Other air pollutants, which contribute to acid rain and can cause respiratory problems - sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) - were found to cause €38-105 billion of damage a year.[7]

Coal mines

European Commission proposes ending state subsidies for loss-making coal mines in the EU

On July 21, 2010, the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, ruled that member governments of EU member states must stop granting subsidies to loss-making coal mines by the end of 2014. The directive will be implemented in January 2011, pending a European Council vote after the summer. The new rules – if implemented – will only allow governments to give operating aid to loss-making coal mines if closure plans are in place and if they are scheduled to be shut down by 2014 at the latest. The EC also suggests that government subsidies should increasingly go towards supporting the social and environmental costs of such closures, and not on other expenditures. If a mine benefits from government subsidies and doesn't close down by 2014, then it will have to return the funds.[8]

In total, European governments paid out 3.2 billion euro in subsidies to coal in 2008, according to the Financial Times. The industry is responsible for 2.5 percent of world hard coal production. The announcement was welcomed by European environmental groups, who have lobbied hard over the past few months to thwart a draft document circulated earlier this summer that suggested continuing subsidies until 2023.[9]

While the Commission's decision was hailed as a victory, environmentalists are still disappointed in the recent G-20 conference in Toronto, at which nations restated old pledges to curb subsidies for fossil fuels instead of offering new targets or commitments. In total, G-20 nations still hand out subsidies worth about $100 billion annually to the fossil fuel industry, according to a Greenpeace report cited by Nytimes.com.[10]

Spain and open cast mining

In 2011 the 15M movement - originating in Madrid after a major demonstration against Spain’s economic crisis - moved away from the city and set up a camp to oppose open pit coal mining as part of its 'Take the mountain!' initiative. Hundreds of people camped to oppose mining in the Laciana valley in the Spanish north-eastern province of Leon, home to endangered species such as the brown bear.[11]

Thousands of coal miners protest in Spain

In early July 2012, thousands of Spanish coal miners marched through Madrid's main avenue to protest a cut in government subsidies by 63% that they say will eliminate their industry. Police fired rubber bullets and protesters threw firecrackers during the contentious protests. The Industry Ministry stated the cuts were necessary to help tackle the country's growing deficit.[12]

Reports

Health effects

A 2013 Lancet study estimated that increase in exposure to particulate matter pollution increases the risk of death more than twice as much as assumed by the European Environmental Agency (14% increase in risk vs 6% for 10 ug/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentrations). The study also found that PM2.5 levels well below the European safety standard of 25 ug/m3 increase risk of death.[13]

The 2013 Greenpeace report, "Silent Killers: Why Europe must replace coal power with green energy," concluded that air pollution from Europe's 300 largest coal power stations causes 22,300 premature deaths a year and costs companies and governments billions of pounds in disease treatment and lost working days.

Coal plants

Articles and Resources

Sources

  1. ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 Ailun Yang and Yiyun Cui, "Global Coal Risk Assessment: Data Analysis and Market Research," World Resources Institute working paper, November 2012
  2. ↑ CARMA: Carbon Monitoring for Action, accessed December 2012
  3. ↑ Justin Guay, "Global Coal Markets Are Far Riskier Than You Think," Sierra Club Compass, May 30, 2012.
  4. ↑ "EU vote makes CCS ‘mandatory’ for coal power plants," Carbon Capture Journal, October 8, 2008. (Subscription required.)
  5. ↑ "Equipping power plants to store CO2 underground," European Parliament press release, October 7, 2008.
  6. ↑ Alex Kirby, "Coal burning exacts a lethal price - report," Climate News Network, March 7, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Industrial air pollution cost Europe up to €169 billion in 2009, EEA reveals" European environment agency, Nov 24, 2011.
  8. ↑ Remi Adekoya, "EC: subsidies must end for unprofitable coal mines" Warsaw Business Journal, July 21, 2010.
  9. ↑ Eben Harrell, "European Coal Mines Lose Subsidies" Time.com, July 21, 2010.
  10. ↑ James Kanter, "Europe’s Enduring Coal Subsidies" NYTimes.com, June 28, 2010.
  11. ↑ Almudena Serpis, "Spanish mountains under threat from open cast coal mining" The Ecologist, Oct. 26, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Thousands of coal miners in Spain protest cuts in subsidies" Detroit Free Press, July 11, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Effects of long-term exposure to air pollution on natural-cause mortality: an analysis of 22 European cohorts within the multicentre ESCAPE project," The Lancet, December 2013.

Related SourceWatch articles

Europe and coal

Other Countries and Coal

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Articles on Coal in Europe

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