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Hard Coal and Coke imports to Germany reache new all-time high of 56.2 m tones in 2014

Demand for German and imported hard coal In 2014, in 2014 fell by almost 8%, or 4.8m TCE, to 56.2m TCE.

According to German Coal Importer Association, this was caused mainly by the overall decline of 3% in power generation and the overall downward trend of 4.7% in primary energy demand, which accordingly also had an impact on hard coal. Another factor was the growing proportions accounted for by renewable energies. As in the previous year, demand for hard coal was satisfied by imports in the amount of some 86% and by domestic coal in the amount of 14%. Total imports of hard coal and coke reached a new all-time high of 56.2m tonnes in 2014, an increase of 3.4m tonnes, or 6%, in comparison with 2013.

According to press note, the focal point of hard coal sales comprises power plants, which dominate demand with 69% (previous year: 71%) and the iron and steel industry with 28% (previous year: 26%). The heating market plays only a subordinate role with 3%. As regards steam coal, Russia, the USA and Colombia largely satisfied the import needs, while coking coal demand was covered by Australia with a 45% market share, the USA with 29% and Canada with 13% as the main supplier countries.

Clear downward trends are discernible in power generation from hard coal-fired power plants in 2014. The hard coal-fired power plants delivered 109 TWh, some 10% less power than in the previous year. This left hard coal with a share of just under 18% in the energy mix for 2014. But the other conventional types of power generation , too, had negative year-on-year results: lignite -3.2%, nuclear energy -0.2%, natural gas -13.7% and oil - 6.6%.

The balance in the power exchange (the total of exports less imports) came to around 36 TWh in 2014. This corresponds to an increase of 5% in comparison with 2013. The price advantage of coal compared with gas (the difference between the so-called "clean dark spread" less the "clean spark spread") fluctuated between 6 and 37 €/MWh last year. This favourable result for hard coal should not, however, blind one to the reality that almost all gas-fired and very many coal-fired power plants are now making losses and that power revenues are often insufficient to cover the fuel costs.

The VDKi takes a differentiated view of the statement in the white paper. The following should continue to be designated as the basis for market's further development into the energy market 2.0:

- security of supply
- cost efficiency
- innovation and sustainability.

These criteria have been satisfied by power generation from hard coal in the past and the present and will continue to be satisfied in the future. This makes the discrimination against hard coal, which could not have been made more obvious than in the new CHP regulations, impossible to comprehend. In addition to the fact that the expansion target of 25% is being subverted by a radical change in the basis, it is intended that only gas-fired CHP plants should be subsidised in the future. This is discriminatory and a deliberate damnification of highly efficient CHP from existing coal-fired power plants that contribute substantially to the reduction in CO2 emissions and fulfil the key requirements of the power market, said VDKi.

"We need a general framework that opens up a sustainable commercial perspective for hard coal for as long as hard coal continues to be allocated a central role for the safeguarding of renewable power generation, and therefore the success of the energy turnaround, for many years to come," said Dr Wolfgang Cieslik, VDKi CEO.

Despite the increase of 21% in steam coal imports in Q1 2015, the VDKi estimates that only 38m tonnes of steam coal and 53m tonnes of hard coal and coke in total, i.e. 5% less, will be imported during the whole of 2015.

source: http://coalspot.com