If Germany Drops Coal, can the Industry Survive?

Jake Richardson asks If Germany Drops Coal, can the Industry Survive?

Germany is looking into cutting its use of coal power, at the same time that it is cutting out nuclear. If it does, there could be a ripple effect because Germany is a major player in the European energy market. A Berlin-based journalist said that Germany’s emphasis on renewables is already impacting electricity markets in Poland and the Czech Republic. (Denmark is also exploring how it might go coal-free, but even sooner.)

Germany is also phasing out nuclear power in favour of renewable energy. However, the biggest challenge to a 100% renewable energy generation is the storage of energy:

One advantage of solar and wind power is that it doesn’t take as long to construct these kinds of renewable plants. Energy storage for renewables is not close to catching up to renewable electricity production, but it does seem to be picking up some steam, so to speak.

But, in Australia, we going in the reverse direction thanks to the Conservative government. Gains are being wound back in favour of coal.

This is a consequence of having a Capitalist system: profit trumps survival everytime!