Why did UK Government say that they could not do anything for our coal industry? Poland have shown what could be done.
European Commission – Daily News |
Daily News 08 / 02 / 2018 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEX-18-701_en.htm
State aid: Commission approves PLN 5 billion Polish support for closing coal mines
The European Commission has found amendments to Poland’s plans to provide public support of PLN 5 billion (approximately €1.25 billion) to alleviate the social and environmental impact of closing uncompetitive coal mines by 2018 to be in line with EU State aid rules. The Commission concluded that potential competition distortions are limitedas a result of the support. The Commission had already approved Polish support for the closure of uncompetitive coal mines in November 2016. In line with EU State aid rules, and in particular Council Decision 2010/787/EU on State aid to facilitate the closure of uncompetitive coal mines, the Commission found that the aid will ease the closure process by providing financial support to workers who have lost, or will lose, their jobs due to the closure of the mines. In particular, the state support will fund severance payments, compensatory pensions and social security benefits for these workers until 2023. Furthermore, it will be used to secure mine shafts and decommissioning of mine infrastructure, repair damage to the environment caused by mining and re-cultivate land after the mine closures. More information will be available on the Commission’s competition website, in the State Aid Register under the case number SA.46891. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Sarantopoulou – Tel.: +32 229 13740)
What goes on in Poland on the 17th of April. https://biznesalert.com/polish-briefing-poland-will-not-switch-to-gas-there-will-be-coal-and-atom/
Naimski: Poland will not switch to gas. There will be coal and atom
The plenipotentiary for strategic energy infrastructure has announced that coal will maintain a prominent position in the energy strategy of the Republic of Poland, which the government is now announcing at the end of 2018.
– Whatever what are the climatic, technological and other arguments, this fact is inalienable. It just is. Yes, we have natural gas and it’s good that we have more of it. Nevertheless, it does not seem after the first failure when it comes to Polish shale gas, so that we can rely our energy on our own gas. Why should we base our security on imports if we can base them on our own resources? – the conference participant asked.
– This determines our strategy in the field of energy policy. With all the practical aspects of access to gas, we will not base the Polish power industry on gas. That would be irrational. In Poland, we have a fairly low share of gas in primary energy. You can increase it, but there is no reason to do it – Piotr Naimski argued.
– Energy-based gas blocks are needed that will be regulatory in nature – he admitted. – When we diversify deliveries, we will be able to choose the raw materials on which we will base our energy and we will probably build one, two, maybe three gas blocks. Then it will only be a rational action.
– We will try to keep the energy produced from coal in accordance with technological requirements, but also climate policy, and at the same time we will want the coal to remain. In the strategy we are developing, coal has its place – the minister said. In his opinion, it is possible to forecast 30 years ahead, ie until the fifth decade of this century. – Our calculations show that almost half of the energy will be produced from coal – he added.