prosper-haniel

Germany plans to squeeze hydroelectric power out of a coal mine

As coal energy falls out of favor in much of the world, one defunct mine in the heart of Germany's coal country is preparing for a new life as a sustainable power plant. As Bloomberg reports, the Prosper-Haniel mine in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia is scheduled to shut down in 2018 when government coal subsidies end and the operation that has provided jobs for the town of Bottrop since 1974 becomes too expensive to operate. But the town could continue providing power to the region while leading the next wave of renewable energy developments by converting its mine shafts into a pumped hydroelectric storage station.