EU Bans Russian Coal, Opens More Coal Plants

Can't make this stuff up! PDF: ENERGY AND MATERIALS WEEKLY 11 AUGUST 2022

Under the rules, EU countries will no longer be allowed to buy Russian coal, which will result in an €8bn loss per year for Russia, the EU Commission estimates. Coal imports from the US, Australia, and South Africa are expected to increase to help power the freshly reopened plants. The Netherlands has amended legislation to allow coal plants to run at full capacity until the end of 2023. France and Austria are both planning to reopen coal-fired power units before winter. Germany plans to restore 10 gigawatts of mothballed coal capacity to the grid to cushion a potential gas shortage, accounting for just under 5 percent of total German power production — a move environment and economy minister Robert Habeck described in June as "bitter but necessary." - EUobserver