Reuters: Poland to get dirtier as it leans towards lignite coal

Poland, one of the heaviest polluters in Europe, will become even dirtier now that its shale gas ambitions have faded and it turns to cheap domestic lignite coal to secure its energy supply.

Poland already relies on coal to produce more than 90 percent of its electricity and is home to the European installation that emits the most carbon dioxide - utility PGE's lignite power plant in Belchatow.

Its choice of fuel now could determine its energy and environmental situation for decades to come, given that Poland needs to build new power stations to replace ageing plants and cope with future demand as its power system operates close to capacity.

The government and utilities, encouraged by firm popular support, are looking to domestic lignite reserves as a cheap way to fuel that new capacity and reduce imports of Russian gas.

"Looking at Poland's limited reserves of gas and oil, lignite coal has to be perceived as the stabilizing factor for Poland's energy safety," Poland'seconomy ministry said in an email, adding Poland's lignite reserves will last for 200 to 300 years.  MORE