As inexpensive natural gas has eroded coal’s traditional share of electricity generation in the US, importing cheap coal from the US has become more attractive to Europe. Especially in Germany, the Energiewende (the shift away from nuclear energy following the Fukushima catastrophe in 2011) has led to an increase in coal consumption.
最后，欧洲的能源格局正在逐渐变化以满足其气候变化目标的需要。正如廉价天然气侵蚀了美国传统煤电的份额，从美国进口廉价煤炭对于欧洲已颇具吸引力。特别是在德国，能源转型（2011年日本福岛核事故后德国决定减少核能）导致煤炭消费上升。事实上，煤炭很可能将提供德国一半以上的电力。