Netherlands

Law prohibiting coal in electricity production

Legislative

Act

Passed in 2019

This law implements rules relating to the generation of electricity using coal, in order to organise an effective coal phase out by 2030. Article 2 states that it is prohibited to generate electricity in a production installation using coal. The law grants plants built in the 1990s up to 2025 to cease operations, while newer ones will have until 2030 to do so.

On December 22, 2021, the Dutch cabinet restricted emissions from coal-fired power stations by limiting their operations to no more than 35% of their maximum capacity. The government estimates it will result in a reduction in CO2 emissions at coal-fired power stations of approximately 6-7 megatons "in the short term". The amendment to the Coal Act came into effect on 1 January 2022 and will apply until the end of 2024.

Documents

Link to full updated text (PDF) (Dutch)

Climate targets in this law

2 targets

phase out coal-powered electricty generation by 2030 and by 31 December 2024 for power plants with an electric efficiency of less than 44%

Energy | Target year: 2030
Coal phase out by 2030

Energy | Fixed level target | Target year: 2030 | Base year: 2019

Related litigation cases

Uniper v. Netherlands

Opened in 2021 Filing
On April 30, 2021, German energy company Uniper filed a dispute against the government of the Netherlands alleging that the government's plan to phase out coal by 2030 violates the Energy Charter Treaty. More information will be added as it becomes available.
RWE and Uniper v. State of the Netherlands (Ministry of Climate and Energy)

Opened in 2021 Filing
On November 30, 2022, the District Court of The Hague decided that energy companies RWE and Uniper could not claim financial compensation for mandatory phase-out of coal-fired electricity production. In 2019, the Dutch government had adopted the Prohibition of Coal in Electricity Production Act t...