, Columnist
Germany’s Coal Power Could Shut Down a Decade Early
Generators have until 2038 to switch off their plants, but there are incentives to get it done quicker.
Germany’s coal future goes up in smoke.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
For a country that prides itself on its clean, green image, Germany’s power sector is remarkably dirty.
Despite having the third-largest installed base of wind and solar power after China and the U.S., Germany still relied on coal for 45% of its needs as recently as 2015. While the U.K. has been going without the fuel for months at a time, Germany’s legislation on retiring its coal fleets, which passed Friday, will keep plants switched on as late as 2038.