Austria officially ends coal-fired power generation as Europe's second country with zero coal

Austria has officially ended its ability to regularly produce electricity from coal, making it the second country in Europe to achieve zero coal power
.

The last power plant still operating last month was the government-owned Verbund Mellach facility
.
The facility was built in 1986 and finally closed
after years of operation.
An Austrian NGO encourages the withdrawal from fossil fuels and focuses on renewable energy
.

Kathrin Gutmann, director of Beyond Coal, a European decarbonisation group, said in a statement: "Despite the significant health and economic challenges facing Austria today, it is clear that the momentum to abandon coal is not slowing down
as Austria moves coal-free today.
Austria will stop burning coal while supporting the adoption
of renewable energy and Europe's Green New Deal.
This is a great example
of the path to a healthier, cleaner and more resilient society.
”

Following Belgium's example in 2016, Austria is now the second European country
to have achieved a phase-out of coal for power generation.
Seven countries are expected to take similar action by 2025 or earlier, including France, Sweden, Slovakia, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Italy
.

Austria's environment and infrastructure ministry said in a statement that eliminating coal would enhance the country's "economic independence"
by reducing imports and emissions of fossil fuels.
The country will now shift to renewable energy generation to drive future economic growth
.