Reuters reported that Germany lower house is expected to pass legislation that would open up EU funding for technology that traps greenhouse gases from burning coal, one week after parliament voted to phase out nuclear power in the next decade.
Utility group Vattenfall Europe has applied for EU aid for a controversial pilot plant in the economically underdeveloped region of Brandenburg, the only so called carbon capture and storage facility currently foreseen for Germany due to widespread opposition by local residents.
Mr Jens Koeppen conservative MP from Brandenburg said "The passage by the Bundestag is an important signal and the project has good chances of being funded by the EU."
Mr Martin Neumann the research policy expert for the junior coalition partner Free Democrats (FDP) who represents a constituency in Brandenburg said "The phase out of nuclear power means Germany has given itself a challenging task achieving both targets for climate protection and securing an environmentally friendly and efficient energy supply."
Coal accounts for just over 40% of the country energy needs, but it is also the dirtiest fuel when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions. This is particularly true for brown coal for which Germany is the largest global producer before even commodity-rich Australia.
Scientists say capturing carbon dioxide emissions and sequestering them underground could hold the key to an environmentally friendly way of burning the fossil fuel.
The current bill lays the foundation for testing and demonstration efforts only. Wider introduction would not take place without consulting local residents who often oppose sequestering carbon dioxide below the earth for fear the potentially lethal gas could escape in large amounts.
Utility group Vattenfall Europe has applied for EU aid for a controversial pilot plant in the economically underdeveloped region of Brandenburg, the only so called carbon capture and storage facility currently foreseen for Germany due to widespread opposition by local residents.
Mr Jens Koeppen conservative MP from Brandenburg said "The passage by the Bundestag is an important signal and the project has good chances of being funded by the EU."
Mr Martin Neumann the research policy expert for the junior coalition partner Free Democrats (FDP) who represents a constituency in Brandenburg said "The phase out of nuclear power means Germany has given itself a challenging task achieving both targets for climate protection and securing an environmentally friendly and efficient energy supply."
Coal accounts for just over 40% of the country energy needs, but it is also the dirtiest fuel when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions. This is particularly true for brown coal for which Germany is the largest global producer before even commodity-rich Australia.
Scientists say capturing carbon dioxide emissions and sequestering them underground could hold the key to an environmentally friendly way of burning the fossil fuel.
The current bill lays the foundation for testing and demonstration efforts only. Wider introduction would not take place without consulting local residents who often oppose sequestering carbon dioxide below the earth for fear the potentially lethal gas could escape in large amounts.
(sourced from Reuters)
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