RWE has decided that it will not make any further investments in coal-fired power generation capacity.
The energy company has cancelled its plans to build BOAplus, a proposed lignite-fired power station at Niederaussem, Germany, and says that it will focus on renewable energy sources.
The BOAplus plant was to have replaced older, less efficient units. Market conditions would “not allow for the project to be realised”, RWE said in a company statement.
“We are aware of our responsibility and continue to drive the energy transition with resolve. New coal-fired power stations no longer have a place in our future-oriented strategy,” said Rolf Martin Schmitz, CEO of RWE AG.
Renewables currently account for around 40 per cent of the electricity generating mix in Germany, according to RWE, which says it is “convinced” that existing coal-fired power stations will be needed to provide backup capacity.
It added: “New power stations and storage will be required in order to ensure long-term security of supply for an industrial hotspot such as Germany. To this end, the company will invest in renewable energies, storage technologies and low-carbon technologies such as gas-fired power stations if market conditions allow for it.”
