Coal to stay in 2020 fuel mix
The inclusion of coal in the country’s energy mix after 2020 may well be necessary for the long-term planning of the country, according to a report by the National Energy Strategy Council (SEES) published yesterday. The policy recommended is fully in line with the government’s present strategy, which has taken nuclear energy and coal out of the running for electricity production, but contains several reservations as well as specific proposals regarding the realization of targets in the fields of energy saving and renewable sources. Power demand in 2020 has now been revised 15 percent lower compared with the report issued last year. The document states clearly that the reduction in demand is due to the financial crisis and the improvement in energy efficiency through measures for the rationalization of consumption. The report suggests that it is the reduction in demand that allows coal to be taken out of the fuel mix for power production from 2020 onward. Otherwise coal will be necessary, it adds.
