Europe Forced to Rely on Expensive, Dirty Coal to Keep Lights On
- Northwest European coal jumps to highest level since October
- Fuel has showed its importance in the power mix this winter
The Jaenschwalde lignite-fired power station near Peitz, Germany.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Coal will play a vital role in helping to keep the lights on in Europe this winter even as prices are jumping and lawmakers are doing their best to kill off one of the dirtiest power-plant fuels.
Northwest European coal for February rose more than 3% to trade at its highest in three months on Tuesday. The latest example of the fuel’s importance came on Monday as U.K.’s usage peaked at its highest level since March to help plug a gap in supplies early in the evening.