Germany should cut coal power production by at least 5GW

Germany can still reach its 2020 emissions reduction targets if it shuts down or throttles coal plants with a capacity of at least 5 gigawatt (GW), the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) says in a press release. The UBA says that “in the short run”, coal plants that are at least 20 years old should be given an annual power production budget, whereas the oldest and least efficient plants should be closed altogether. The 5GW in capacity reduction should be added to existing reduction plans to ensure that Germany choses an “economic” and “quick” way for achieving a “meaningful” emissions reduction by 2020.
The UBA’s proposition corresponds with an offer by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the pro-business FDP to the Green Party in a row over Germany’s future use of coal. In Germany’s ongoing Jamaica coalition talks for forming a possible new government, the Greens’ aspiring partners said a coal capacity reduction of 5GW - corresponding roughly to ten coal plants - was enough to make progress on national climate targets. The Greens, on the other hand, say capacity should be reduced by 8GW to 10GW. The party called for the closure of Germany’s 20 dirtiest coal plants in its election campaign

Read the press release in German here.

See the CLEW article Germany’s aspiring coalition parties disagree over coal exit speed and the CLEW factsheet Coal in Germany.