Germany mines 175 million metric tons (Mt) of lignite

or brown coal, per year for producing one quarter of its electricity (150 TWh/a) in 22 GW of mine-mouth power stations.

Similar contributions to grid supplies are provided by hard coal (20%) and nuclear power (23%), with the remainder covered by 17% renewable energies and natural gas for peak load generation.

Atomic power phase out law 2002

When legislation was enacted in 2002 to phase out the Germanys 19 nuclear reactors within two decades, lignite and wind power were expected to fill the ensuing generation gap. An estimated 40 billions of recoverable lignite reserves would be hypothetically adequate to provide half the countrys electricity (twice current lignite generation) for over a century. However, the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) introduced in 2005 has restricted the economic viability of this option.

20% of emissions for 12% of energy

Lignite currently covers about 12% of Germanys primary energy requirements, but comprises over a fifth of its CO2 budget.

Guest article from Jefffrey H. Michel

Lignite worthless for export
	The calorific value lies at 7.8 to 10.5 MJ/kg, half that of firewood, necessitating three times the fuel tonnage of hard coal (27 - 33 MJ/kg) in power generation.

Lignite composition
	Mined lignite consists of one third elemental carbon that is permeated with residual groundwater, mineral impurities, and sulphur deposited by prehistoric volcanoes.

Lignite power plants and open-cast mining
	These installations collectively emit 57 million tons of CO2/a. Lignite is employed both from the companys own mines and from the MIBRAG mining corporation near Leipzig.

Less full load hours at coal power plants
	Under the German Renewable Energy Sources Act, conventional power plants have been subordinated to alternative technologies that are granted priority access to the grid.

CSS not competitive?
	If carbon capture should be mandated or subsidized in the European Union, a possible result of 12 current pilot projects,