German lignite mining hits lowest level since 1914
Lignite mining in Germany fell to 4 million tons in 2023, the lowest since 1914, according to Fraunhofer ISE data. Solar power has become so cheap that even fully depreciated old coal plants in Lusatia and the Rhineland cannot compete. The decline marks a historic shift for the fuel that once dominated Germany's energy mix. The first bucket-chain excavators began stripping overburden in 1914, and by 1924 the first conveyor bridge was deployed in Lusatia. Despite lignite's lower calorific value, its cost advantage doubled demand within 15 years. Now, renewable energy has reversed that trend.
Key facts
- 4 million tons of lignite mined in Germany in 2023
- Lowest level since 1914
- Data from Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE
- Solar power cheaper than operating old coal plants
- Lignite mining began in 1914 with bucket-chain excavators
- First conveyor bridge used in Lusatia in 1924
- Lignite's cost advantage doubled demand over 15 years
- Lignite has lower calorific value than hard coal
Entities
Institutions
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE
Locations
- Deutschland
- Lausitz
- Rheinland