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How to deal with the risks of phasing out coal in Germany

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  • Osorio, Sebastian
  • Pietzcker, Robert C.
  • Pahle, Michael
  • Edenhofer, Ottmar

Abstract

Germany has an ambitious climate target for 2030 that cannot be achieved without reducing the high share of coal in power generation. In the face of this, the government has recently decided to directly phase out coal capacity. Yet implementing such a policy comes with two important risks: (1) the decommissioning path might actually be insufficient to reach the 2030 climate target; and (2) the waterbed effect that arises from any additional national policy within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) cap. In this paper, we quantify these risks using the numerical electricity market model LIMES-EU, and consider options for dealing with them. Our results show that the coal capacity phase out risks missing the 2030 target slightly, but a carbon price floor of at least 35 €/tCO2 would eliminate this risk. Further, we find a substantial waterbed effect, which could be partly alleviated through a carbon price floor coalition of countries, and even fully by cancelling 1.1 GtCO2 of certificates. Yet given the difficulties and challenges that come with either option, members implementing a carbon price floor policy should advocate extending it to the full EU ETS level.

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  • Osorio, Sebastian & Pietzcker, Robert C. & Pahle, Michael & Edenhofer, Ottmar, 2020. "How to deal with the risks of phasing out coal in Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:87:y:2020:i:c:s0140988320300694
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2020.104730
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    9. Anas Abuzayed, 2025. "From model optimality to market reality: do electricity markets support renewable investments?," Working Papers EPRG2521, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
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    11. Wu, Shu & Hu, Fangfang & Zhang, Zhijian, 2024. "Visible hand or invisible hand in climate governance? Evidence from China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
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    13. Grischa Perino & Robert A. Ritz & Arthur van Benthem, 2019. "Overlapping Climate Policies," NBER Working Papers 25643, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Pietzcker, Robert C. & Osorio, Sebastian & Rodrigues, Renato, 2021. "Tightening EU ETS targets in line with the European Green Deal: Impacts on the decarbonization of the EU power sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    15. Kristina Govorukha & Philip Mayer & Dirk Rübbelke, 2023. "The landscape of European policies in the power sector: first-mover advantages," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 28(8), pages 1-25, December.
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    JEL classification:

    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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