According to MEKH, Russia’s dependence on natural gas can be reduced by restarting coal power plants and cold rooms.
According to specialists from the Hungarian Energy and Utilities Regulatory Authority (MEKH), if the heating temperature in Hungary were reduced by one degree Celsius, it could reduce annual domestic natural gas consumption by 445 million cubic metres, or 5.4 percent. napi.hu. With this, a family can reduce their gas bill by up to several thousand forints: a family consuming an average of 250 cubic meters per month, for example, can save almost eight thousand fort per month if they turn the thermostat one degree lower in their house.
As is known, the European Union expected a 15 percent decrease in demand for natural gas due to the uncertainty about Russian natural gas. In this regard, the bureau’s analysts examined further possibilities to reduce gas demand, such as replacing gas power plant production with coal-fired power plants. Thus, according to their calculations, the Matra power plant could replace 150 million cubic meters of natural gas, which is 1.8 percent of winter consumption, if it operates with three blocks instead of the current two-part plant at 70 percent usage.
At the EU level, in four countries, Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Poland, it will be possible to significantly expand the capacity of coal power plants, which can replace 16 billion cubic meters of gas, which represents 5.3 percent of European gas demand in Winter.
The disadvantage of coal-fired power plants is that they pollute the environment and cause significant emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
