Coal energy in Europe - statistics & facts
Coal’s share in Europe’s primary energy consumption has fallen to just 10 percent over the last few decades. Although, one of the most widely utilized energy sources in Europe over the past century, growing climate change awareness has led to many countries adopting coal exit strategies. Decommissioning was already well underway when the Russia-Ukraine war squeezed natural gas supplies to a degree that many governments contemplated a coal return for the immediate future. Germany, which has the greatest coal power capacity in Europe became the first country to re-open a previously mothballed coal power plant.
Despite a surge in coal energy utilization noted for 2022, figures from 2023 showcase that coal’s role in Europe is expected to continue its overall descending trajectory.
Domestic coal production and supply
Thanks to large reserves across Europe, coal was for years one of the cheapest forms of electricity generation where geography did not allow for the construction of hydroelectric dams. Lignite or soft brown coal is the most ubiquitous coal type in Europe. Around 115 megatons of lignite are produced in the European Union every year. There are only five countries in Europe that also mine hard coal, which has a higher carbon content and correspondingly a greater fuel value. Among these countries, Poland is the largest producer of hard coal and also ranks second in terms of overall coal production in Europe. In addition to domestic output, coal imports play an important role in meeting consumer demand.Coal dependency and the largest power plants
Poland and Germany are among the European countries producing the most coal power. In Poland, the coal power generation share stands at a sizable 61 percent, compared with a little under 30 percent for Germany. Poland is also home to the largest coal power plant in the European Union, which is the region’s biggest polluter. The Bełchatów lignite-fired power plant has a capacity of more than five gigawatts and is operated by PGE. The utility has a combined coal power capacity of roughly 13 gigawatts, which puts it ahead of competitors such as Germany’s RWE and Czechia’s EPH.Despite a surge in coal energy utilization noted for 2022, figures from 2023 showcase that coal’s role in Europe is expected to continue its overall descending trajectory.
