Despite Climate Worry, Europe Turns to Coal

[ben_meyers]

CIVITAVECCHIA, Italy — At a time when the world’s top climate experts agree that carbon emissions must be rapidly reduced to hold down global warming, Italy’s major electricity producer, Enel, is converting its massive power plant here from oil to coal, the dirtiest fuel on earth.

Over the next five years, Italy will increase its reliance on coal to 33 percent from 14 percent. Power generated by Enel from coal will rise to 50 percent.

And Italy is not alone in its return to coal. Driven by rising demand, record high oil and natural gas prices, concerns over energy security and an aversion to nuclear energy, European countries are slated to build about 50 coal-fired plants over the next five years, plants that will be in use for the next five decades.(snip)

Enel, like many electricity companies, say they have little choice but to build coal plants to replace aging infrastructure, particularly in countries like Italy and Germany that have banned the building of nuclear power plants. Fuel costs have risen 151 percent since 1996, and Italians pay the highest electricity costs in Europe.

What a choice, going dark and cold or coal.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/world/europe/23coal.html?_r=2&ex=1366603200&en=31cb66381ede90ef&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[Dead_Parrot]

1. Yah! a big step forward

off the cliff of insanity.

:banghead:

[GliderGuider]

2. It's morbidly fascinating to watch one's predictions coming true.

Nuclear loses, but coal wins.

And still nobody stands up and says, "Wait a minute. Maybe the reason we keep doing stupid shit is because we're trying to solve the wrong problem. Maybe all this growth is a bad idea."

Band-aids on sucking chest wounds, yet again.