Coal for electricity production costs 40 percent more

In the first quarter of 2008 coal used to produce electricity cost 40 percent more than in the same period last year. Coal prices have been rising substantially since the second quarter of 2007. A tonne of coal cost 88 euro in the first quarter of this year. Around the turn of the century the price was still as low as 30 to 40 euro per tonne. Coal prices have been pushed up mainly by the strongly increasing demand in China, and because of a number of setbacks in the coal mining industry.  Every month, five new coal-fired electricity plants come into operation in China.

Dutch consumers will notice this price increase in their electricity bills. One quarter of electricity produced in the Netherlands is generated by combustion of coal.

Import prices of steam coal and world market price of petroleum