Germany To Stop Coal Use By 2030, Use Renewable Energy And Technology

The use of coal as electricity in Germany, will be stopped by 2030. (photo: pixabay doc)

JAKARTA - Germany plans to phase out coal use by 2030, eight years earlier than previously planned. This policy, as part of their pledge in their latest climate change campaign.

That same year, the country wants 80 percent of its electricity to come from renewable energy sources. Per the BBC, Olaf Scholz, leader of the German Social Democratic Party, announced the plan on Wednesday, December 1 as part of a deal that would see the former vice-chancellor who governs the country head the three-party coalition comprising the Greens and Free Democrats.

Germany's national election on September 28 saw the Greens claim 118 seats in the Bundestag, making it the party's best campaign ever. Scholz is expected to appoint the leader of the Green Party, Annalena Baerbock, to serve as his foreign minister.

In addition, Green Party deputy leader, Robert Habeck, will likely get the vice chancellor's post and the opportunity to oversee the country's energy transition.

In particular, the coalition did not set more aggressive emission reduction targets. By 2030, the country still plans to reduce emissions by 65 percent from 1990 levels.

According to estimates from the nonprofit Climate Action Tracker, Germany will need to reduce its greenhouse gas output by at least 70 percent by the end of the decade to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius target put forward by the Paris Agreement.

Moreover, in making a deal with the Social Democrats, the Greens made significant compromises. According to Bloomberg, the country will use natural gas to ease the transition between coal and renewable energy.

Critics also say the coalition should do more to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles. The government only plans to have 15 million EVs on German roads by 2030.

"This doesn't look like a coalition for progress", Christoph Bautz, head of Campact, told Clean Energy Wire also quoted by Engadget. “The climate movement should continue to push the coalition to actually make it a climate government.”