In response to the ongoing energy crisis in Europe thanks to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the revelation that maybe our NATO allies shouldn’t be, you know, buying energy to enrich Vladimir Putin, Germany announced over the weekend that it’s starting up its old coal-fired power plants.
That’s right. Coal is back, baby (or however you say that in German):
#Germany's Economy Ministry, which is in charge of security of energy supply in Europe's top economy, said the latest measures would include increased reliance on coal-fired power plants as well as an auction system to incentivise industry to consume less. https://t.co/GuXhAtySpT
— Giovanni Staunovo🛢 (@staunovo) June 19, 2022
Do you mean to tell us that Germany CAN’T run on renewables? This is such a shock:
For decades, experts have pointed to Germany as proof that a major economy can run on renewables. But now, Germany is on the verge of blackouts and its Economy & Climate Minister has announced emergency measures to massively increase coal use.https://t.co/1aHoMbtQNo pic.twitter.com/OjDTOdCJ9Z
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) June 19, 2022
From German Economic Minister Robert Habeck: “in order to reduce gas consumption, less gas is to be used to produce electricity. Instead, coal-fired power plants will have to be used more”:
FULL STATEMENT from Germany’s Economic Minister Robert Habeck on the country’s gas crisis. Absolutely must read.
“In order to reduce gas consumption, less gas is to be used to produce electricity. Instead, coal-fired power plants will have to be used more”https://t.co/0bVsFOi7sn
— Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) June 19, 2022
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Reminder: Germany scrapped its nuclear plants after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011:
The Green Party in Germany is anti-nuclear, of course, and worked hard to shut down remaining plants this year.
Now, those same climate technocrats will burn mountains of coal to avoid imploding the economy.
"This is bitter."
They will never learn.https://t.co/HbZnOgy53E
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) June 19, 2022
And it’s not just happening in Germany. From the UK:
I wrote this news analysis in October 2021, and the lede was about the West Burton A coal-fired power station, which was due for closure in 2022.
Amid the current energy crisis, the UK government has asked its owner to keep it open until, at least, 2023. https://t.co/NuMoSJddX9
— Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) June 19, 2022
Rest in peace to “Germany’s failed green energy policy”:
In order to preserve gas in storage, Germany will "fire up" climate polluting coal plants.
This completes the obituary to Germany's failed green energy policy. RIPhttps://t.co/E4XmPgdvR3
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) June 19, 2022
You know, maybe Europe shouldn’t have outsourced its energy policy to a Swedish teenager after all?
"Russian and Ukrainian environmental activists have made a joint call for a European embargo on Russian oil, gas and coal"#PeopleNotProfit https://t.co/N5k9ktk7Yr
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) March 24, 2022
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