Beatriz von Munthe, an engineer specializing in energy and fuel production, explains why returning to producing electricity with coal plants is a costly mistake
The crisis caused by the war in Ukraine forced Germany to authorize the reopening of its coal plants. In Spain, the abandonment of coal for the production of electricity is scheduled for 2030. Even so, electricity companies, given the rise in gas prices, have triggered the use of coal, which is more profitable. Beatriz von Munthe af Morgenstierne, an engineer specializing in Energy and Fuels, who advocates the transition to renewable energies, lists the reasons why the use of coal is not a solution to the energy crisis.
Does not guarantee Russian independence
National coal is rarely used in thermoelectric plants due to its high sulfur content, combined with the fact that reserves are low and its extraction is very expensive. Paradoxically, domestic coal, being the closest, is not cheaper than that imported from Colombia and Russia. National coals have a high sulfur content, which makes it necessary to mix them or use desulfurizers. For this reason, coal burned in Spain has been imported mainly from Russia, Colombia, Indonesia, Africa, Australia and the USA. Going back to coal does not give energy independence. Europe is also dependent on Russian coal.
Its operation and maintenance are not profitable
Coal’s fixed costs are very high, and recovering them in seasonal operations of a few days or weeks makes it very difficult to generate a positive margin. Having human teams in factories, maintaining them and having coal to work for only a few weeks a year is not profitable in competition with other technologies.
It is difficult to store in large quantities for a long time
Coal is sometimes self-combustible and requires special equipment and work to minimize this risk. Medium-term coal storage requires continuous monitoring and compaction and sealing techniques that make logistics more expensive.
Coal transport is not sustainable
Sporadic operation, together with the situation inside many thermoelectric plants, often means that it is not possible to transport coal from the port (after its arrival by ship from Russia or Colombia) to the plant regularly by train, and it is necessary to use a large number of trucks per day. This road transport is unsustainable.
Increase fixed costs
If we don’t shut down coal plants, with the growth of renewables we will have excess production capacity at a high cost, which increases the energy costs of the entire system. Coal would only be used in weeks of system stress, when what is really needed is more flexible technology. Coal-fired power plants cannot serve as backup of renewables. They cannot start for just a few days or a few hours of little wind or sun, as they have to run virtually all week to recoup their initial costs. Coal-fired power plants do not favor the growth and use of renewable resources.
High environmental investments
In addition to the cost of CO2, European regulation of sulfur and nitrogen emission limits has become more stringent in recent years, and power plants have required expensive investments that, in a marginal market finally flooded with renewables, make their sustained profitability over the course of time unfeasible. time .
Generating with coal is not cheaper than generating with gas
Even though coal is bought cheaper than gas, the cost of CO2 emissions causes the slack, so under stable geopolitical conditions, it is cheaper to generate with gas than with coal. The current situation has increased the price of gas from Russia, but not from other sources that arrive in Spain on methane ships.
Coal shortage in Spain
National coal is scarce and therefore does not allow independence. The sun and wind are limitless and indigenous. National coal reserves are insufficient and some are practically exhausted.
The necessary modernization of the generator park
It is better to shut down old coal plants than modern cycle plants that can flexibly stop and start, even remotely, reducing costs. In order for the owners of coal plants to be able to invest in them, a minimum return must be guaranteed that the current and future market does not offer.
Climate change is not an invisible cost
CO2 emissions generated with coal are almost triple the emissions generated with gas. Electricity costs are frightening, but they don’t take lives. The injuries and deaths from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine are devastating and the effects and consequences of climate change are irreversible. It is not cheaper now or for future generations to generate with coal than with another fuel; Coal should only be used if there is no other alternative, as can happen in Germany with a high dependence on Russian gas of more than 60%.
However, in Spain we have diversified gas supplies from the USA, Norway, Algeria, Nigeria, Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago, Oman, Egypt and other countries.
Coming back does not guarantee us lower prices and accelerates our heating.
Beatrix von Munthe by Morgenstierne Hygge-slowlife –www.ecoleadership.com