cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/57512614
A sharp drop in carbon permit prices last week pushed lignite-fired power plants back into profitability for the first time since November, according to analysis from Energy Aspects Ltd. and the London Stock Exchange Group. The plants are now even cheaper to run than gas-fired generators, despite producing far higher carbon emissions.
EU carbon certificates are at 87€/t right now. That is higher then it was in November. The reason they are profitable are high gas prices in Europe and fairly low wind electricity production right now. All of that is likely to turn worse for coal. As in certificate amounts are lowered each year, gas prices are high due to sanctions on Russia and demand for gas is probably going to fall(besides replacing coal) and renewables are built out and weather changes.
In other words this is temporary.
I haven’t seen full year 2025 data yet, but EU coal and NG use in electricity sector declined over 10% each of '23 and '24 years, as electricity consumption rose.
I couldn’t read full archive, but coal being dirtier than imported LNG from US is false even with low, industry reported, methane leakage rates, but the liquification and shipping steps add enough emissions to make it dirtier.