Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia plan to burn coal beyond 2030 – report on final NECPs
A new report published by Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and ZERO looks into the final national energy and climate plans (NECPs) of 15 member states including countries in Southeastern Europe – Croatia, Greece, Romania, and Slovenia. In their initial drafts, a number of countries had already put forward much needed coal phaseout goals in […]
IRENA: Renewables increasingly cheaper than coal competitors on cost
IRENA found 56% of renewable capacity added last year achieved lower electricity costs than new coal power plants. Furthermore, by the end of 2021 it would be cheaper to build new photovoltaic facilities than to keep running active coal power plants of as much as 1.2 TW, more than half of the world total. New […]
Delaying coal phaseout would be expensive for Bulgaria, Romania and Greece
The drop in market prices of power amid the coronavirus crisis opens the way for a less costly closure of thermal power plants that burn lignite. Postponing the coal phaseout in Balkan states would magnify expenses, according to a study released by the Southeast Europe Energy Transition Network. The COVID-19 pandemic sent market prices of […]
Smart transformation of coal business into geothermal heating, power system by Spanish Hunosa Grupo
Grupo Hunosa, undergoing a transformation away from coal, its basic activity, used geothermal energy from its former mine to build a 6 MW heating and power system. The project in the north of Spain won the Global District Heating Award. The cooperation between Hulleras del Norte SA and the University of Oviedo in Asturias helped […]
Verbund discontinues last coal-fired energy plant in Austria; eyes hydrogen
Government-owned Verbund switched the Mellach coal-fired heat and power unit to a backup role, ending all regular electricity supply from the fossil fuel to the grid in Austria as it studies applications for green hydrogen. As high temperatures shortened the heating season, the Mellach cogeneration facility, which covered most of the district heating in Graz, […]
CE Oltenia suspending 13,000 workers as sales drop amid COVID-19
The government in Bucharest is paying employees on a leave of absence 75% of gross salary for the duration of the state of emergency. CE Oltenia, already strained by carbon emissions costs, introduced a minimum staffing scheme and sent the first of two groups of workers home for 17 workdays. Romania must introduce measures to […]
Thermal power plant Šoštanj takes active role in Slovenia’s energy transition
Slovenian lignite-fired thermal power plant Termoelektrarna Šoštanj (TEŠ) has been developing several projects aimed at achieving gradual energy transition thus contributing to carbon neutral society. They include the use of natural gas, the capture and utilization of CO2 (CCU), hydrogen production and the utilization of alternative fuels. In an interview with Balkan Green Energy News, […]
ContourGlobal abandons Kosova e Re project, exits coal altogether
The foreign investor has faced a setback with regulatory hurdles and financing drying up for the planned lignite-fired thermal power unit. ContourGlobal told shareholders it wasn’t able to meet deadlines and that it is scrapping Kosova e Re as it exits the coal sector. The emphasis has shifted to clean technologies and there will be […]