Coal Will Stop Burning In Czech Power Plants In 2038

Coal Will Stop Burning In Czech Power Plants In 2038

Brown coal will probably stop burning in Czech power plants in 2038. The news portal iDNES.cz informs about it, stating that this term was recommended by the so-called Coal Commission. The final decision should be made by the government, but is expected to confirm the recommended date. "The Coal Commission has decided that the year it will recommend to the government will be 2038. This year will mean that we will invest a total of 355 billion crowns (approximately 13.44 billion euros) in new resources, decarbonisation and the withdrawal from coal until 2050," said Minister of Industry Karel Havlíček at a press conference after the commission meeting. According to him, this could achieve a reduction in CO2 emissions of 138 million tons by 2050. The Commission worked with end-of-coal scenarios in 2033, 2038 and 2043, but finally decided on an intermediate date. According to Havlíček, 15 of the 19 members of the commission voted for him, two were against and two abstained. He did not state the names, but Greenpeace subsequently stated in its statement that the representatives of environmental organizations Jiří Koželouh and Jan Rovenský voted against the resolution, the representative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and also the Minister of the Environment Richard Brabec abstained. The main role in the decision was played by the extent to which it will be possible to replace coal resources so that the Czechia remains energy self-sufficient. About 40 percent of the electricity produced now comes from coal, as does a significant portion of the heat. At the same time, the Commission approved that the conditions for the decline are, in particular, the timely replacement of coal resources by others and ensuring the energy security of the Czech Republic. At the same time, they mentioned the completion of new nuclear sources according to the current schedule or the successful transformation of the heating industry. The government should also review the decision at least every five years, depending on external factors. The Czech Coal Commission was established last year as an advisory body to the government. It is chaired by Minister of Industry Karel Havlíček and Minister of the Environment Richard Brabec. Among the 19 members are representatives of miners, academics and ecologists. Environmental organizations have pushed for an earlier cessation of mining and are not satisfied with the verdict.