The German year-ahead baseload traded as high as Eur197.75/MWh, a new high for the 2023 contract, while year-ahead coal into Europe traded at $230/mt, EEX and ICE exchange data showed.

A viable renewable energy backstop to oil & gas production does not now exist to guarantee Americans cost-effective, reliable, and 24/7 energy availability

The Ministry of Energy and Environment plans to double lignite production and to review its phase-out plan for lignite-fired power plants.

The new round includes an import ban on coal from Russia worth Eur4 billion/year ($4.38 billion/year) and a ban on Russian vessels and Russian-operated vessels from accessing EU ports, allowing for certain exemptions such as agricultural and food products, humanitarian aid as well as energy.

China will pursue its strategy to reduce the share of coal in its energy consumption, aiming to reach 17.3% of non-fossil energies in its total energy consumption in 2022, up from 16% in 2020.

Since late February, thermal coal prices have surged globally as traders and end-users seek out potential replacements for Russian fossil fuels.

Berlin said it will bring down gas usage in power generation by "possibly keeping coal-fired power plants as a security standby for longer."

"The only commodity that can help solve the energy crisis in Europe in the short term is coal," said Sveinung Stohle, deputy CEO of Greek-based shipping company Angelicoussis Group. "Like it or not, coal will play a very important role."

In 2021, Russia was the largest natural gas-exporting country in the world, the second-largest crude oil and condensates-exporting country after Saudi Arabia, and the third-largest coal-exporting country behind Indonesia and Australia.

The Newcastle 5,500 kcal/kg NAR coal with 23% ash hit a fresh record high $295/mt FOB March 9, the highest since the grade was first assessed in August 2017,