Eastern German lignite mine to close three years early due to renewables abundance
rbb
Coal digging at one of eastern Germany's major lignite mines is set to end in 2030, three years earlier than initially planned, as the expansion of wind and solar energy in the region has made the fossil fuel’s extraction economically unviable, operator LEAG told public broadcaster rbb.
The high share of renewables is leading to an excess supply of electricity, especially during the summer, the company said. LEAG wants to ensure its operations are economically viable throughout the whole year, and the abundance of renewable energy in the region is reducing the need for coal-fired power production from the Welzow-Süd mine, it added. According to the Brandenburg state economy ministry, the decision to end mining activities at the site south of Berlin will not compromise supply security in the region, rbb reported.
At the same time, the company that operates most of the fossil fuel-based electricity generation capacity in eastern Germany said it will apply for the construction of new gas power plants, after the European Commission gave the green light for state support of 12 gigawatts of new capacity, rbb reported in a separate article.
Germany plans to fully exit coal-fired power production in 2038 at the latest, but many energy industry observers expect operations at coal plants to become economically unviable earlier than that, as renewable energy sources expand and carbon pricing makes the use of coal more expensive.
While the phase-out is progressing relatively fast in western Germany, which has targeted an end to coal as early as 2030, although this date has recently been put into question. State leaders in eastern Germany, on the other hand, have always insisted that the region must keep its coal plants running longer because it is more dependent on the fossil power source both in terms of energy supply security and due to the relevance of the industry for local job markets.
The German government plans to publish a long-delayed report assessing the coal exit effects on factors including supply security and climate targets. The assessment is due by August 2026.