(MENAFN) According to a recent analysis conducted by energy think tank Ember, the ten largest emitters in the European Union (EU) last year were all coal plants, with Germany and Poland taking the lead. The power sector alone contributed approximately 739 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emissions, accounting for about half of the EU's Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS) emissions. Coal-fired power plants were responsible for over 60 percent of emissions in the power sector, with Germany and Poland collectively contributing two-thirds of this figure.
The top ten coal plants accounted for a significant quarter of all emissions from the power sector in 2022 and constituted 13 percent of the total EU emissions reported in the ETS, as revealed by the analysis. The EU-ETS encompasses more than 10,000 installations across various sectors, including power, aviation, cement, steel, and oil refineries.
Ember's analyst, Harriet Fox, highlighted the persisting trend of coal plants as major contributors to the EU's emissions, referring to them as "repeat offenders" on the region's dirty list. Fox emphasized the urgency of accelerating the transition away from coal power in Europe, emphasizing the positive impact it would have on emissions reduction.
Interestingly, seven of the coal plants featured in the top ten emitters list have consistently maintained their position for the past decade. Poland's Belchatow power plant, operated by PGE, has remained at the top of the list since the inception of the ETS in 2005. German utilities RWE and EPH, alongside Poland's PGE, have dominated power sector emissions for the sixth consecutive year, collectively emitting nearly the same amount of CO2e as Italy's entire power sector in 2022.
These three major utilities accounted for 30 percent of the EU's power sector emissions, with lignite plants primarily responsible for the majority of their emissions, as stated by Ember. The findings underscore the continued dominance of coal power and the crucial role played by Germany and Poland in driving emissions within the EU's power sector.
The analysis serves as a reminder of the pressing need for accelerated efforts to transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources across Europe. Mitigating coal dependency and promoting renewable energy alternatives remain vital priorities in the fight against climate change.
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