Preliminary data indicate that the EU’s coal consumption and production dropped to their lowest recorded levels in 2023, with both down more than 20% on the year, according to the bloc’s statistics agency Eurostat this week.
This follows two years of increases in both consumption and production in the region.
Consumption appears to have seen one of the largest historical yearly drops, down more than 100 million tonnes (mt) at 351mt, the group said.
During the year, Germany and Poland were the biggest consumers of coal, at 37% and 27%, respectively.
Solar overtakes hard coal
Eurostat also said that in 2022, solar power overtook hard coal as an electricity source for the first time.
Hard coal, or anthracite, is a compact variety of coal that has the highest carbon content of all types of coal. Only two countries in Europe still produce it – Poland and Czechia.
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Read More: Early data suggest EU coal consumption lowest ever in 2023 – Eurostat