Lignite (brown coal) which Germany has in large quantities, is the dirtiest kind of coal.
See also: hard coal, Coal in Germany
Germany’s brown coal resources are mainly concentrated in the former East Germany (which is relatively underdeveloped compared to the rest of the country).Lignite has a relatively high water content and hence relatively low energy content; it is therefore not generally shipped, although Germany does export brown coal in small amounts to the rest of the EU.
All in all, about 14,700 people were employed in brown coal mining in Germany in 2017. Germany produced 171.3 million tons of lignite, which was 45% of the EU’s total production. The EU actually increased its lignite production in 2017, producing 382.6 million tons of lignite. Other lignite producers include Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece.
Lignite is incredibly dirty; it is the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sector even though it only makes up around 20 percent of energy production.
Most Germans would agree to phase out coal as soon as possible, but the German government has signaled it is in no hurry to get rid of coal. Likewise, the German Coal Commission is having trouble coming to a decision. However, activists are fighting to stop coal mining in the Hambach Forest and elsewhere throughout the country.
List of brown coal mines in Germany
Data via the German Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (2017)
| Name of coal mine | Opened in | To close by | Owner |
| Jänschwalde (Jänschwalde) | 1974 | 2023 | LEAG |
| Nochten (Nochten) | 1968 | 2050 | LEAG |
| Welzow-Süd (Welzow) | 1962 | 2042 | LEAG |
| Amsdorf (Amsdorf) | 1958 | 2035 | ROMONTA GmbH |
| Profen (Profen) | 1941 | 2035 | Mitteldeutsche Braunkohlengesellschaft(MIBRAG) |
| Tagebau Vereinigtes Schleenhain (Schleenhain) | 1949 | 2040 | Mitteldeutsche Braunkohlengesellschaft(MIBRAG) |
| Hambach | 1978 | 2040 | RWE Power |
| Garzweiler | 1940s | 2045 | RWE Power |
| Inden | 1978 | 2030 | RWE Power |
| Reichwalde (Reichwalde) | 1985 | 2040 | LEAG |
List of brown coal power plants in Germany
Data via the German environmental agency (Umwelt Bundesamt), last updated 2018.
| Power Plant name | Owner | City | Capacity (MW) | District heat (MW) | Built (Renovated) |
| Boxberg N | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Boxberg | 500.0 | 60.0 | 1979 (1993) |
| Boxberg P | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Boxberg | 500.0 | 1980 (1994) | |
| Boxberg Q | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Boxberg | 907.0 | 65.0 | 2000 |
| Boxberg R | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Boxberg | 675.0 | 2012 | |
| Buschhaus (Helmstedt) | Helmstedter Revier GmbH (MIBRAG) | Helmstedt | 405.0 | 1985 | |
| Chemnitz Nord II C/30 | eins energie in sachsen GmbH & Co. KG | Chemnitz | 100.0 | 130.0 | 1990 (2010) |
| Frechen / Wachtberg | RWE Power AG | Frechen | 201.0 | 251.0 | 1959 (1988) |
| Frimmersdorf P | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 325.0 | 30.0 | 1966 (1990) |
| Frimmersdorf Q | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 310.0 | 1970 (1990) | |
| Grevenbroich – Neurath A | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 312.0 | 1972 | |
| Grevenbroich – Neurath B | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 312.0 | 1972 | |
| Grevenbroich – Neurath C | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 312.0 | 1973 | |
| Grevenbroich – Neurath D | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 644.0 | 4.5 | 1975 |
| Grevenbroich – Neurath E | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 644.0 | 4.5 | 1976 |
| Grevenbroich – Neurath F (BoA 2) | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 1100.0 | 2012 | |
| Grevenbroich – Neurath G (BoA 3) | RWE Power AG | Grevenbroich | 1100.0 | 2012 | |
| Jänschwalde A | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Peitz | 535.0 | 76.3 | 1981 (1996) |
| Jänschwalde B | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Peitz | 535.0 | 76.3 | 1982 (1996) |
| Jänschwalde C | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Peitz | 535.0 | 76.3 | 1984 (1996) |
| Jänschwalde D | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Peitz | 535.0 | 76.3 | 1985 (1996) |
| Jänschwalde E | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Peitz | 535.0 | 76.3 | 1987 (1996) |
| Jänschwalde F | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Peitz | 535.0 | 76.3 | 1989 (1996) |
| Lippendorf R | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Böhlen | 933.6 | 230.0 | 2000 |
| Lippendorf S | EnBW Kraftwerke AG | Böhlen | 933.6 | 230.0 | 2000 |
| Niederaußem C | RWE Power AG | Bergheim | 335.0 | 1965 | |
| Niederaußem D | RWE Power AG | Bergheim | 320.0 | 1968 | |
| Niederaußem E | RWE Power AG | Bergheim | 315.0 | 1970 | |
| Niederaußem F | RWE Power AG | Bergheim | 320.0 | 1971 | |
| Niederaußem G | RWE Power AG | Bergheim | 687.0 | 245.0 | 1974 (2008) |
| Niederaußem H | RWE Power AG | Bergheim | 687.0 | 1974 (2009) | |
| Niederaußem K (BoA 1) | RWE Power AG | Bergheim | 1012.0 | 2002 | |
| Schkopau A | Uniper SE + Saale-Energie | Korbetha | 490.0 | 100.0 | 1996 |
| Schkopau B | Uniper SE + Saale-Energie | Korbetha | 490.0 | 100.0 | 1996 |
| Schwarze Pumpe A | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Spremberg | 800.0 | 60.0 | 1997 |
| Schwarze Pumpe B | Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG (LEAG) | Spremberg | 800.0 | 60.0 | 1998 |
| Ville / Berrenrath (Hürth) | RWE Power AG | Hürth | 107.0 | 1993 | |
| Weisweiler E (4) | RWE Power AG | Eschweiler | 363.0 | 1965 | |
| Weisweiler F (5) | RWE Power AG | Eschweiler | 340.0 | 1967 | |
| Weisweiler G (6) | RWE Power AG | Eschweiler | 630.0 | 91.5 | 1974 |
| Weisweiler H (7) | RWE Power AG | Eschweiler | 625.0 | 91.5 | 1975 |