Of course, the title to this article is rhetorical. I know exactly why Europe is turning to coal – Europeans needs power, they cannot depend solely on importing gas from Russia, Iran and Algeria, there are some Europeans that comprise a very strong and financially well supported anti-nuclear movement, and European consumer needs are vastly different from the capabilities provided by wind and solar power.
Conservation is not a power source – it is a way to avoid some amount of fuel consumption. By default, there is an increasing interest in coal and lignite (aka brown coal).
For an interesting view on Europe’s curve towards coal, I recommend reading an excellent article on finfacts.ie titled Europe returns to Coal: Italy to increase reliance on coal for power generation to 33% from 14% despite climate change concerns.
