Germany's Commitment To End Coal By 2030 Is A Never-Ending Shell Game
Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com,
Place the idea of Germany ending coal use by 2030 on the list of energy things that has little chance of happening...
Here is an article from November 2, 2022 that serves as a nice background starting point for today’s discussion.
Reuters reports Germany’s Cabinet Approves Accelerated Coal Exit by 2030 in Western State
At first glance that headline sounds impressive. But note it is not Germany-wide, just one state.
Then read the article for the details.
Germany’s cabinet on Wednesday approved a draft law to phase out coal-fired power plants in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia by 2030 instead of a previous date of 2038, part of Berlin’s efforts to speed up the cutting of greenhouse emissions.
At the same time, the cabinet approved extending the lifespan of two coal-fired plants in the same state as a way of shoring up the country’s energy security as it copes with dwindling Russian gas and oil supplies since the war in Ukraine.
Germany agreed to speed something up that is seven years away at the expense of keeping two coal-fired plants operating that were supposed to shut down this year.
What Does “Ideally” Mean?
It was not clear whether the 2038 phase-out date for coal plants in eastern Germany will still apply. Berlin’s coalition government had agreed to “ideally” bring forward the overall coal exit in the country to 2030.
Ideally, nearly all of us should make a living wage soon. That sure sounds good, whatever it means.
Someone needs to adopt that as a campaign slogan. It contains five fuzzy ideas in one sentence, “Ideally”, “nearly all of us”, “should”, “living wage”, and “soon”.
Bear in mind we are somehow discussing a 2038 phase-out date when the commitment is to end all coal usage by 2030, ideally of course.
Energy Monitor September 2023
The Energy Monitor reports The “Current Pace” is Not Sufficient to Meet 2030 Targets.
Germany is set to generate more than half of its power from renewable sources this year, according to Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and co-leader of the Green Party.
National targets state that, by 2030, the share of renewables in power consumption in Germany must reach at least 80%; however, Habeck warned that: “We won’t get there at the current pace.”
German Finance Minister Casts Doubt on 2030 Coal Exit
Next, please consider German Finance Minister Casts Doubt on 2030 Coal Exit, published November 1, 2023.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner on Wednesday called into question the government’s aim to end coal use in Europe’s largest economy by 2030.
“Until it is clear that energy is available and affordable, we should end dreams of phasing out electricity from coal in 2030,” Lindner said in an interview with the German daily Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger.
“Now is not the time to shut down power plants,” he added.
Lindner’s comments threaten to deepen division within the ruling coalition between Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the FDP, where ministers have clashed over how to respond to higher energy prices while reducing fossil fuel usage.
The coal exit date is a plank in Germany’s project to produce 80 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030 and the coalition aims “ideally” to close all coal-fired plants within the same timeframe.
Germany Will Flunk 2030 Coal Exit
Today, Eurointelligence announced in its headline story: Germany Will Flunk 2030 Coal Exit.
That’s a paywalled article that I have not read. But here we are, over one year later, still discussing the meaning of “ideally”.
New Green Goals Would Force You to Be Vegan and Eliminate Cows
Meanwhile, in the US, New Green Goals Would Force You to Be Vegan and Eliminate Cows
A huge backlash against climate change goals is underway. A cow burp tax decided the election in New Zealand. People are upset with similar Green stupidity in California as well.
