The German government has appointed a commission to define a roadmap for the phasing out of coal and lignite-powered electricity generation.
The 31-member commission is expected to produce a report later this year that will include an end date.
It has four chairpersons, who are Deutsche Bahn board member Ronald Pofalla, former state governors Matthias Platzeck and Stanislaw Tillich and Barbara Praetorius, professor for energy economics and former deputy head of the Berlin-based think tank Agora Energiewende.
In 2017, coal and lignite-fired plants contributed 39.1% to Germany’s electricity mix, while renewables accounted for 38.2%, according to figures from the Fraunhofer ISE.
Earlier this year, Germany’s coalition government put forward a 65% renewable energy goal for 2030.
“It’s about climate protection in the coming years so we can keep our commitments but, prominently, it’s also about jobs,” said Economy and Energy minister Peter Altmaier, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU party.
Renewable energy association BEE head Simone Peter said: “In parallel, we need a masterplan for 100% renewables to develop a modern, climate friendly and flexible energy system.”
Image: sxc
Berlin advances coal phase-out
By EBS