BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 7. EU coal generation and demand are expected to decrease in 2024, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said, Trend reports via the IEA's latest update on the coal market.
"Europe – and the EU in particular – has been one of the regions hardest hit by the energy crisis, given its reliance on Russian pipeline supplies of natural gas. Lower hydro and nuclear power output due to weather conditions, combined with technical problems in French nuclear power plants, put additional strains on the European electricity system," the report said.
According to the IEA, as a result, some European countries have increased the use of coal-fired power while accelerating the introduction of renewable energy sources and, in some cases, extending the lifetime of nuclear power plants.
Under the threat of gas shortages and potential inefficiencies in the energy system, some coal-fired power plants that have been closed or left in reserve have been restarted, the report explained.
"In most countries, this involved a limited amount of coal power capacity. Only in Germany, with 10 GW, is the reversal at a significant scale," the IEA noted.
"This has increased coal power generation in the European Union, which is expected to remain at these higher levels for some time. But redoubled efforts to improve energy efficiency and expand renewables will see EU coal generation and demand return to a downward trajectory as soon as 2024 in our forecast," the IEA stated.