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===As fuel=== [[File:Lom ČSA Most Czech Republic 2016 7.jpg|thumb|Layer of lignite for mining in [[Lom ČSA|Lom ČSA, Czech Republic]]]] Lignite is often found in thick beds located near the surface, making it inexpensive to mine. However, because of its low [[energy density]], tendency to crumble, and typically high moisture content, brown coal is inefficient to transport and is not traded extensively on the world market compared with higher coal grades.<ref name=brit/><ref name="victoria-coal-data-sheet"/> It is often burned in power stations near the mines, such as in Poland's [[Bełchatów Power Station|Bełchatów plant]] and [[Turów Power Station|Turów plant]], Australia's [[Latrobe Valley]] and [[Luminant]]'s [[Monticello Steam Electric Station|Monticello plant]] and [[Martin Lake Power Plant|Martin Lake plant]] in Texas. Primarily because of latent high moisture content and low energy density of brown coal, [[carbon dioxide emissions]] from traditional brown-coal-fired plants are generally much higher per [[megawatt-hour]] generated than for comparable black-coal plants, with the world's highest-emitting plant being Australia's [[Hazelwood Power Station]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wwf.org.au/news/n223/ |title=Hazelwood tops international list of dirty power stations |access-date=2008-10-02 |publisher=World Wide Fund for Nature Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013091310/http://www.wwf.org.au/news/n223/ |archive-date=2008-10-13 }}</ref> until its closure in March 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipplc.com.au/media/newsitem/End-of-generation-at-Hazelwood |title=End of generation at Hazelwood |access-date=2017-06-30 |publisher=Engie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331114514/http://www.ipplc.com.au/media/newsitem/End-of-generation-at-Hazelwood |archive-date = 2017-03-31 |url-status = dead }}</ref> The operation of traditional brown-coal plants, particularly in combination with [[strip mining]], is politically contentious due to environmental concerns.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vic.greens.org.au/news/media-releases-2006/the-greens-won-t-line-up-for-dirty-brown-coal-in-the-valley |title=The Greens Won't Line Up For Dirty Brown Coal In The Valley |work=Australian Greens Victoria |date=2006-08-18 |access-date=2007-06-28 |archive-date=2011-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813085807/http://vic.greens.org.au/news/media-releases-2006/the-greens-won-t-line-up-for-dirty-brown-coal-in-the-valley |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2004/2004-05-28-02.asp |title=Greenpeace Germany Protests Brown Coal Power Stations |publisher=Environment News Service |date=2004-05-28 |access-date=2007-06-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930203414/http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2004/2004-05-28-02.asp |archive-date = 2007-09-30}}</ref> The [[German Democratic Republic]] relied extensively on lignite to become energy [[autarky|self-sufficient]], and eventually obtained 70% of its energy requirements from lignite.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Irfan |first1=Ulmair |title=How East Germany Cleaned Up Dirty Power |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-east-germany-cleaned-up-dirty-power/ |website=Scientific American |publisher=Springer Nature America, Inc. |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=3 November 2014 |archive-date=12 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020134/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-east-germany-cleaned-up-dirty-power/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Lignite was also an important chemical industry feedstock via [[Bergius process]] or [[Fischer-Tropsch synthesis]] in lieu of petroleum,<ref>{{cite news |title=Liquid fuel revival |url=https://www.soci.org/Chemistry-and-Industry/CnI-Data/2009/22/Liquid-fuel-revival |access-date=4 May 2021 |work=Chemistry and Industry |agency=SCI |issue=22 |date=2009 |archive-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504221020/https://www.soci.org/Chemistry-and-Industry/CnI-Data/2009/22/Liquid-fuel-revival |url-status=live }}</ref> which had to be imported for [[hard currency]] following a change in policy by the [[Soviet Union]] in the 1970s, which had previously delivered petroleum at below market rates.<ref name="history-germany">{{cite web |title=The history of energy in Germany |url=https://www.planete-energies.com/en/medias/saga-energies/history-energy-germany |website=Planete energies |publisher=Total Foundation |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=29 April 2015 |archive-date=14 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614033353/https://www.planete-energies.com/en/medias/saga-energies/history-energy-germany |url-status=dead }}</ref> East German scientists even converted lignite into [[coke (fuel)|coke]] suitable for metallurgical uses ([[high temperature lignite coke]]) and much of the [[Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany)|railway network]] was dependent on lignite either through [[steam locomotive|steam trains]] or [[railway electrification|electrified]] lines mostly fed with lignite derived power.<ref name="history-germany"/> As per the table below, East Germany was the largest producer of lignite for much of its existence as an independent state. In 2014, about 12 percent of [[energy in Germany|Germany's energy]] and, specifically, 27 percent of Germany's electricity came from lignite power plants,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bmwi.de/BMWi/Redaktion/PDF/E/energiestatistiken-energiegewinnung-energieverbrauch,property=pdf,bereich=bmwi2012,sprache=de,rwb=true.pdf|title=Statistics on energy production in Germany 2014, Department of Energy (in german, lignite = "Braunkohle")|date=2014-10-01|access-date=2015-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151206115815/http://www.bmwi.de/BMWi/Redaktion/PDF/E/energiestatistiken-energiegewinnung-energieverbrauch,property=pdf,bereich=bmwi2012,sprache=de,rwb=true.pdf|archive-date=2015-12-06|url-status=dead}}</ref> while in 2014 in [[energy in Greece|Greece]], lignite provided about 50 percent of its power needs. Germany has announced plans to [[fossil fuel phase-out|phase out lignite]] by 2038 at the latest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/kohlekompromiss-101.html|title = Interview zum Kohlekompromiss: "Damit ist es nicht getan"|website=Tagesschau.de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.erneuerbareenergien.de/was-der-kohlekompromiss-fuer-deutschland-bedeutet|title=Was der Kohlekompromiss für Deutschland bedeutet|website=Erneuerbareenergien.de|date=13 August 2019|access-date=8 December 2020|archive-date=13 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813093944/https://www.erneuerbareenergien.de/was-der-kohlekompromiss-fuer-deutschland-bedeutet|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdf.de/uri/c01c31fc-36f2-48c4-8c12-8fc92b53b458|title=Teurer Kohlekompromiss|website=Zdf.de|access-date=30 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ksta.de/politik/kommentar-zum-kohleausstieg-der-kohlekompromiss-ist-ein-meisterstueck-31939930?cb=1607428307426|title=Kommentar zum Kohleausstieg: Der Kohlekompromiss ist ein Meisterstück|website=Ksta.de|date=26 January 2019}}</ref> Greece has confirmed that the last coal plant will be shut in 2025 after receiving pressure from the [[European Union]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/greece-confirms-last-coal-plant-will-be-shut-in-2025/|title=Greece confirms last coal plant will be shut in 2025|website=Euractiv.com|date=26 April 2021}}</ref> and plans to heavily invest in [[renewable energy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skai.gr/news/environment/skrekas-proetoimazoume-kai-sxediazoume-tin-prasini-politiki-tis-xoras|title=Σκρέκας: Προετοιμάζουμε και σχεδιάζουμε την πράσινη πολιτική της χώρας | ΣΚΑΪ|website=Skai.gr|date=18 May 2021|access-date=20 May 2021|archive-date=20 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520145727/https://www.skai.gr/news/environment/skrekas-proetoimazoume-kai-sxediazoume-tin-prasini-politiki-tis-xoras|url-status=live}}</ref>
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