French utility Engie sells German and Dutch coal plants
Reuters / pv magazine
The French utility Engie will sell four coal-fired power plants in Germany and the Netherlands as part of the utility’s strategy to focus on its renewable energy business, Catherine Rollett reports in pv magazine. Engie will sell plants with a total capacity of about 2.3 GW to American private equity firm Riverstone Holdings. After the sale, coal will make up just 4 percent of the utility’s global generation portfolio, according to Reuters. In 2015, Engie announced plans to “drastically reduce” its coal-fired generation, Rollett reports.
The Netherlands plans to close all of the country’s coal-fired power plants by 2030, Rollett writes. Germany’s coal commission has recommended ending the use of coal by 2038. It is now up to the government to move on the proposal and mould it into legislative drafts before parliamentarians get the final say. Electricity generation from coal has long served German industry, supplied whole regions with jobs and wealth, and to date remains a pillar of the country’s energy supply.
