Eastern European coal-to-gas switching enthusiasm builds

Poland and the Czech Republic, long the continent’s coal champions, are having a rethink

Coal-fired power makes sense for Poland and the Czech Republic. As a domestic resource, it contributes positively to energy security, balance of payments, taxable revenue and employment. In contrast, largely imported gas offers none of these benefits and, in the past, has meant almost total reliance on Russia—Eastern Europe’s historically meddlesome neighbour. But the world is changing, and the environmental benefits of gas—as well as infrastructure developments to mitigate some of the dependence on Russian pipelines—are seeing even coal’s champions begin to embrace a ‘dash for gas’. Poland’s gas consumption has already grown from c.15bn m³/yr to 20bn m³/yr over the last ten years, according