In the first half of this year, the scale of coal-fired power plants declined for the first time on record, and the closure of production capacity exceeded the increase in capacity. It is reported that most of the closed coal-fired power plants are located in Europe.
Christine Shearer, director of coal projects at Global Energy Monitor, said that the reduction in coal-fired power plants is due to two reasons: one is the economic shock brought about by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, and the other is the EU's carbon emissions. Rising prices and tightening pollution regulations have drastically reduced coal power.

Shearer said that in many countries, clean energy is a cheap option, and this is an opportunity for countries to reassess their energy plans. Because coal is not as competitive as solar and wind energy, India has drastically reduced its planned coal-fired power plants.

In the first half of this year, 18.3 GW of new coal-fired power installed capacity was added, and 21.2 GW of production capacity was shut down. Among them, the EU closed capacity of 8.3 GW and shut down 5.4 GW, half of Spain’s coal-fired power plants were decommissioned, and the United Kingdom closed a third. Of coal-fired power capacity and achieved two months of coal-free operation.

It is reported that in the first half of this year, about 72 GW of new coal power capacity was cancelled.