Almost Half Coal Power Plants Seen Unprofitable to Operate
- Rising cost of the fuel along with green rules has cut profits
- China is building more coal plants to feed its power needs
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The surge in coal prices in the past three years and muted power prices are cutting into the profitability of power stations that burn the fuel, a prominent forecaster said.
About 42 percent of the world’s coal generation capacity is losing money, according to Carbon Tracker, an energy researcher that advocates for climate protection. That proportion will rise to 56 percent by 2030, said Matthew Gray, a senior utilities and power analyst at the consultant.