scholarly journals Restructuring of coal mining in Romania between the climate crisis and the energy transition

2022 ◽  
Vol 354 ◽  
pp. 00022
Author(s):  
Cristian Tomescu ◽  
Doru Cioclea ◽  
Cornel Boanta ◽  
Marius Morar

The Romanian energy market is dependent on about a third of total production on the use of fossil fuels, hard coal and lignite and natural gas, especially in the winter months or dry summers, coal still being of strategic importance in producing electricity and ensuring energetic security. However, the sharp changes in climate in recent years have led to the conclusion of environmental agreements, with objectives aimed at long-term strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and which clearly require a reduction in the capacity to produce one kilowatt of thermal energy and identify solutions for transition to clean energy. Where will the Hunedoara Energy Complex and the Oltenia Energy Complex be located in this context? This paper aims to analyze the process of restructuring coal mining, the competitiveness of coal in the electricity mix and possibly the future prospects of restructured mining areas.

2012 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Klinger ◽  
A. Charmoille ◽  
J. Bueno ◽  
G. Gzyl ◽  
B. Garzon Súcar

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (15) ◽  
pp. 1787
Author(s):  
Pilar Gargallo ◽  
Luis Lample ◽  
Jesús A. Miguel ◽  
Manuel Salvador

This paper analyzes the co-movements of prices of fossil fuels, energy stock markets and EU allowances. This analysis is conducted in order to identify the spillover effect of volatility and correlation among these financial markets, and to provide a scientific basis that shows the interest of incorporating sustainable assets in the design of minimum risk strategies of investment. To achieve this goal, we have used a Vector Autoregressive-Dynamic Conditional Correlation-Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (VAR-DCC-GARCH) model that also incorporates a stock index of industrial companies as a leading indicator of the level of economic activity. In addition, the paper conducts an impulse response analysis to determine how unexpected shocks to prices are propagated along time, and, in particular, how they affect prices of the others, both in mean, variance and correlation. Therefore, the results of this one- and two-dimensional analysis allow for the study of short and long run dynamics of the relationship among those prices, thus, providing greater meaning and information for investors, which has implications for building their portfolios. The analyzed period was from January 2010 to February 2021, so that the data include half of phase II, full phase III and the onset of phase IV of the EU ETS, as well as the COVID-19 outbreak in the European context. We also analyzed whether the EUA price impulses the demand of clean energy stocks, which has important implications for the objective of triggering the investment in clean energy. Our results show the transmission mechanism of all of those prices, which are relevant not only for investors but also for policymakers to construct an early-warning system, revealing the most important transmission channels. Moreover, from an investment viewpoint, we observe a decline in dirty energies and a rise in the clean energy market, which might be an indication of the progress towards the energy transition to renewables sources within a circular economy perspective. Therefore, this shows that the EU ETS is achieving its goals, and that clean energy companies, aligned with their role towards socially responsible initiatives, are also gaining acceptance in terms of investments, which would be beneficial for the environment.


2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 575-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Czaja ◽  
Paweł Kamiński ◽  
Jerzy Klich ◽  
Antoni Tajduś

Abstract Learning to control fire changed the life of man considerably. Learning to convert the energy derived from combustion of coal or hydrocarbons into another type of energy, such as steam pressure or electricity, has put him on the path of scientific and technological revolution, stimulating dynamic development. Since the dawn of time, fossil fuels have been serving as the mankind’s natural reservoir of energy in an increasingly great capacity. A completely incomprehensible refusal to use fossil fuels causes some local populations, who do not possess a comprehensive knowledge of the subject, to protest and even generate social conflicts as an expression of their dislike for the extraction of minerals. Our times are marked by the search for more efficient ways of utilizing fossil fuels by introducing non-conventional technologies of exploiting conventional energy sources. During apartheid, South Africa demonstrated that cheap coal can easily satisfy total demand for liquid and gaseous fuels. In consideration of current high prices of hydrocarbon media (oil and gas), gasification or liquefaction of coal seems to be the innovative technology convergent with contemporary expectations of both energy producers as well as environmentalists. Known mainly from literature reports, underground coal gasification technologies can be brought down to two basic methods: - shaftless method - drilling, in which the gasified seam is uncovered using boreholes drilled from the surface, - shaft method, in which the existing infrastructure of underground mines is used to uncover the seams. This paper presents a hybrid shaft-drilling approach to the acquisition of primary energy carriers (methane and syngas) from coal seams located at great depths. A major advantage of this method is the fact that the use of conventional coal mining technology requires the seams located at great depths to be placed on the off-balance sheet, while the hybrid method of underground gasification enables them to become a source of additional energy for the economy. It should be noted, however, that the shaft-drilling method cannot be considered as an alternative to conventional methods of coal extraction, but rather as a complementary and cheaper way of utilizing resources located almost beyond the technical capabilities of conventional extraction methods due to the associated natural hazards and high costs of combating them. This article presents a completely different approach to the issue of underground coal gasification. Repurposing of the already fully depreciated mining infrastructure for the gasification process may result in a large value added of synthesis gas production and very positive economic effect.


Significance Despite its promotion of an innovation ecosystem to attract start-ups, Abu Dhabi has overall made little progress in addressing the impact of the clean-energy transition on long-term demand for fossil fuels. As COVID-19 hits private consumption hard, Dubai is promoting expatriate-friendly labour market and legal reforms, with an eye to the troubled real estate sector. Impacts Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth funds will increase their exposure to the overseas oil derivatives industry. Dubai will shift attention to taming oversupply in the flagging property market, and developers will be under increased scrutiny. Ambitious oil production targets will increase tensions with Saudi Arabia; a medium-term OPEC exit is possible. Abu Dhabi will prioritise high-profile space and nuclear projects that generate soft power and boost innovation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Breetz ◽  
Matto Mildenberger ◽  
Leah Stokes

AbstractTechnology costs and deployment rates, represented in experience curves, are typically seen as the main factors in the global clean energy transition from fossil fuels towards low-carbon energy sources. We argue that politics is the hidden dimension of technology experience curves, as it affects both costs and deployment. We draw from empirical analyses of diverse North American and European cases to describe patterns of political conflict surrounding clean energy adoption across a variety of technologies. Our analysis highlights that different political logics shape costs and deployment at different stages along the experience curve. The political institutions and conditions that nurture new technologies into economic winners are not always the same conditions that let incumbent technologies become economic losers. Thus, as the scale of technology adoption moves from niches towards systems, new political coalitions are necessary to push complementary system-wide technology. Since the cost curve is integrated globally, different countries can contribute to different steps in the transition as a function of their individual comparative political advantages.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2535
Author(s):  
José Antonio Peña-Ramos ◽  
María del Pino-García ◽  
Antonio Sánchez-Bayón

Climate change, clean energy transition, the energy security quest, and international relations have triggered the revival of renewable energy as a solution to these problems. Nowadays, there is an energy transition where renewable energies bring geopolitical changes in a world where fossil fuels are becoming less relevant. This article aims to assess how the transition influences Spain’s energy relations with other countries regarding electricity and its sources, in alignment with the European Green Deal. In order to do so, its current energy situation, the renewable energies development and its energy import-export relations are examined. The results show that despite progress in green regionalization through more electric interconnection, little difference is to be found in traditional relations with fossil fuel countries exporters, but more are the contractions in Spanish energy economic policy, as here is explained.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 417-423
Author(s):  
Aurelia Rybak ◽  
Ewelina Włodarczyk

Motivation: This article presents the analysis of work efficiency in hard coal mining in Poland. Labour costs in Polish mining enterprises account for over 40% of the total production cost. For this reason, the labour productivity of employees has a key impact on the final operating profit.Problem statement: In the case of Polish coal companies, the efficiency is the index value of which particular restructuration programs have attempted to increase for years. However, because of the effect of overstaffing and a decrease in hard coal exploitation, the task was impossible.Approach and results: In this article the effects of the latest recovery programme have been presented, the production efficiency index has been determined; the rate of changes in production volume has been presented as well as the employment figure and the average salary in the Polish mining industry in the recent decade.  Moreover, the prognosis of the employment figure using the ARIMA and ARMAX class model was conducted.Conclusions: It should be noted that in the last four years a significant reduction in the employment figure has been onserved in the hard coal mining industry. This figure has been adjusted to the production volume level.  This, in turn, has positively influenced the work efficiency coefficient level.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 49-56
Author(s):  
John Vourdoubas

Clean energy transition in islands is important and urgent in the current era of climate change. The possibility of de-carbonizing the heating and cooling sector in the island of Crete, Greece has been investigated. Fossil fuels are used in Crete in electricity generation, in heat and cooling production as well as in transportation. The use of various renewable and non-renewable fuels as well as the technologies used in heat and cooling generation has been examined together with the annual changes in fossil fuels consumption during the last years. Various renewable energies like solar energy, biomass and low enthalpy geothermal energy combined with renewable electricity could cover all the heating and cooling requirements in Crete totally eliminating the use of fossil fuels. Their technologies are mature, reliable, and cost efficient.  Renewable and low cost electricity can be easily generated by the abundant solar and wind energy resources in Crete powering electric systems generating heat and cooling. Current work indicates that the heating and cooling sector in Crete can be de-carbonized. This would result in the mitigation of climate change complying with the European goal for carbon neutrality in Europe by 2050.


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