Europe Coal Use Jumps as Costly Gas Turns Firms to Dirty Fuel
- Coal power rose first time since 2017 last year, EnAppSys says
- High gas costs drive generators to burn cheaper coal instead
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Europe’s declining coal use reversed last year as the region’s energy crisis prompted utilities to burn more of the dirtiest fossil fuel for power.
Electricity produced from coal and lignite jumped 17% from the previous year, the first increase since 2017, while overall generation rose by only 5%, according to EnAppSys Ltd., a U.K.-based energy consultant. Power from natural gas and renewables posted modest gains, with wind output dropping from its 2020 peak.