Germany doubts phasing out coal power stations by 2030

The German Finance Minister, Christian Lindner (FDP), doubts that Germany can stop generating energy from coal by 2030. However, the early phasing out of coal-fired power stations is included in the coalition agreement of two years ago.

In the 2021 coalition agreement, the German Social Democrats, the Greens, and Lindner’s liberal Free Democratic Party agreed to bring forward the phasing out of coal-fired power stations from 2038 to 2030.

Emissions trading scheme

But, according to Lindner, this early timing makes “little sense for the climate” anyway since the CO2 emissions saved in Germany are allowed to accrue additionally in Poland, for example, due to European rules. Lindner refers to the European Union emissions trading scheme, which aims to limit the amount of emissions in EU member states and allows for the trade of CO2 certificates.

“As long as there is no clarity about available and affordable energy, we must stop dreaming about a phase-out in 2030,” Lindner told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper.

Domestically sourced natural gas

However, the environmental organization Friends of the Earth insists on keeping 2030 as the deadline. Otherwise, Germany won’t achieve the agreed climate targets,” the organization warns. “The CO2 certificates thus released in Germany must be canceled so that the emissions do not occur elsewhere in Europe.”

Lindner wants Germany to rely more heavily on domestically sourced natural gas. “Domestic gas production must be intensified,” he said, “and the expansion of renewable energies must be made possible more quickly.”