Press release 02/2025
REDUCE COSTS IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION - use climate finance package smart
CCU/CCS conversion also for modern hard coal-fired units
- CO2 capture more cost-effective than new power plant construction
Reduce back-up costs during dark doldrums
- Utilise hard coal-fired reserve power plants also to curb electricity prices
The Association of Coal Importers VDKi is in favour of significant cost savings as the energy transition progresses:
"The winter which is coming to an end has shown that we need high back-up capacities during dark doldrums," said VDKi CEO Alexander Bethe. "The coalition partners' exploratory papers are heading in the right direction."
The VDKi strongly recommends that the new modern hard coal-fired units, which were only connected to the grid a few years ago, be operated CO2-free using CCU/CCS technology. The new German government should allow this opƟon and provide funding for it from the climate finance package.
Alexander Bethe: "Producing CO-2-free electricity with hard coal-fired power plants is climate-friendly and leads to significantly reduced costs in the energy transition. Converting a modern hard coal-fired unit to CCU/CCS is also significantly cheaper than building a new gas-fired power plant.
Another way to produce climate-friendly electricity and save costs is to convert hard coal-fired units to ammonia operation, like in Japan and Vietnam, for example.
The VDKi welcomes the coalition partners' proposals to utilise coal-fired reserve power plants not only in an emergency of energy shortages, but also to curb prices. This way, price peaks of up to 1,000 €/MWh and production stoppages at energy-intensive industrial companies such as last winter could be avoided.
The VDKi believes that the energy transition should be pursued without ideology. Hard coal has proven itself as an energy source, especially in times of crisis such as the war in Ukraine. The loss of a considerable volume of Russian coal imports could be compensated on the global market within a very short time. A remarkable achievement.
In contrast to LNG, hard coal is also available worldwide and is cheaper to generate electricity. Moreover, according to scientific studies, hard coal is certainly on a par with LNG in terms of the overall climate balance.
VDKi CEO Alexander Bethe: "Hard coal remains indispensable as a partner in the energy transition and for securing the energy supply. Without the back-up of hard coal-fired power plants, there is no security of supply.”
Berlin, 24 March 2025
V.i.S.d.P: Verein der Kohlenimporteure e. V., Jürgen Osterhage, Managing Director