As clean energy continues to rise in Germany, the country’s massive coal plants are becoming increasingly idle. But instead of letting those coal plants sit there and rot, Germany wants to refashion the plants as giant batteries for storing wind and solar power. Germany aims to phase out coal completely by 2038, yet it also recognizes that the coal plants and mining operations support thousands of jobs around Germany. So to ensure a smooth transition to a clean-energy economy for traditional coal areas, the government wants to turn the coal plants into innovative, long-term power plants that store surplus wind and solar power during the mid-2020s. Although no particular storing technology has been singled out, the plan does include employing former coal workers to be a part of the transition.
Germany fancies turning coal plants into giant batteries that store clean energy
More of Today's Solutions
This bike for two lets you pedal through the forest on old train tracks
In an effort to breathe new life into some of America’s historic railway lines, Skunk Train is repurposing unused train tracks as adventurous tour ...
Read MoreClosing the longevity gap: what research reveals about why women live longer
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Across the animal kingdom, females tend to live longer than males, and the same is true for humans. ...
Read MoreCanada sets new methane rules to curb oil and gas emissions by 75 percent by ...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a long-anticipated move, Canada has introduced tougher methane regulations for its oil and gas sector, an industry ...
Read MoreWhy turning support into action matters on International Women’s Day
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM International Women’s Day arrives each year with a familiar mix of brightness and gravity. On March 8, communities ...
Read More
