n-tv germay

Sunday 11 March 2012
The renaissance of coal scientists sounded the alarm
From rising oil and gas prices and the nuclear phase-out in Germany benefited mainly the coal industry. The climate scientist warns Edenhofer of the greatest "Renaissance of the coal industry history" worldwide. The energy company RWE holds new coal power plants is essential for this transformation.

The rising oil and gas prices lead in the opinion of one of the leading German climate scientist is currently the largest "coal renaissance of industrial history." "We are experiencing a rise in global CO2 emissions," said the chief economist of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Ottmar Edenhofer. "Due to China is the world's carbon intensity is too strong."

More than half of the annual global increase in CO2 emissions in China and went to there on the coal renaissance back. "That has a lot to do with the fact that the oil price rises," says Edenhofer.
In southern Sumatra, a bucket wheel excavator eats its way through the coal.

In southern Sumatra, a bucket wheel excavator eats its way through the coal. (Photo: Reuters)

Thus were about to enter three effects: First, will the reduction of greenhouse very profitable oil sands in Canada. The second important effect is that by the rising price of oil and gas from coal would be profitable again. "And the third important effect is that countries like China and South Africa to invest in coal liquefaction, coal use that is also in the transport sector," says Edenhofer. "We find ourselves in a world very, very emissions-intensive path."

The increase in electricity production from brown coal in Germany sees Edenhofer left in comparison to global development. "As for Europe, I find that strange debate," he said. Sure there was the case that coal power plants are currently profitable again. "But at the same time we have a cap on emissions trading CO2 emissions. If more brown coal is used, but may increase the price of CO2 certificates, but not the upper limit of emissions." In Europe, he saw no great coal renaissance, while the upper limit will not be softened, Edenhofer said.
Scarce landfill space in the atmosphere

"The hope of many environmentalists that a rising oil price is a signal that fossil fuels are scarce as a whole, is an illusion," said the chief economist of PIK. "We simply have too many coal reserves worldwide, which are relatively cheap." There were about 15,000 billion tons of CO2 in the soil, in the form of oil and gas and especially coal. "We, however, only 750 to 1000 billion tons of which may accumulate in the atmosphere if we are to limit climate change."

Knapp had no fossil resources, but is just the landfill space in the atmosphere. "If we continue like this, the atmosphere in two or three decades is full. Then would the increase in global mean temperature by four, probably five degrees." That would be a rise in temperature, "as we have never experienced before in the history of civilization," said Edenhofer.
RWE relies on coal

The energy group RWE has other hand, new coal-fired power plants is essential to compensate for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. "Coal will be an important part of the energy transition, and remain," said the CEO of RWE Power, Johannes Lambertz.
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"Why should Germany get out of coal? We need flexible, conventional power plants," Lambertz said in view of the weather, depending on the fluctuating production of solar and wind energy. In addition to the use of renewable energies in 2011 due to the shutdown of eight nuclear power plants and the greenhouse conversion of brown coal had increased by 3.3 percent. In Germany, there are 23 new coal plants under construction or planned.

Greenpeace criticized the coal renaissance sharp. "This is an undesirable consequence of the nuclear phase-out," said energy expert Gerald Neubauer. "One reason is that the federal government is driving behind in some areas of energy systems. About the development of renewable energies, such as the example of the threat of devastation in the promotion of solar energy shows."