If you jump through enough hoops you can try to say “aksually the nuclear shutdowns were decided for this or that other reason and the acceleration of shutdowns was from this other thing”, missing the forest for the trees that more nuclear power would mean less coal.

Germany increased renewables while decreasing nuclear and coal. When they shut down the last reactors that had to this point contributed less than 1,6% of the produced electricity coal instantly decreased more. Because those reactors contributing basically nothing still got renewables shut off at times. Germany’s coal use is at an historic low.

And at the same time everyone tells the fairy tale about the insane Germans trying to kill the planet by using more coal. That’s bullshit but it’s very well paid bullshit. Because the nuclear lobbyists pay to promote the story of how there is no alternative to nuclear power and fossil fuel lobbyists promote the story of how reducing coal isn’t working and you should stop trying.

PS: Also every country is restarting reactors in autumn as a reserve (and barely running) should they be needed in winter at some point. France for example did restart coal power plants last year at the same time as they weren’t sure they can get everything nuclear in order until winter (after they burned massive amounts of gas and forced neighbours to do the same to keep their grid stable… in the middle of a gas crisis). But that isn’t reported, because it’s not the desired narrrative.

For Reference:
Germany power production 1990-2020

“The amount of electricity generated from fossil and conventional energy sources decreased by 12.2% in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period last year. The largest decrease, 22%, was measured for electricity generation from coal.”

2022 vs. first half fo 2023

That’s the reality.

But hey… Germany is increasing coal use! They are insane! Cheer for me for parroting our most popular lie about the evil Germans!

And some fun facts for good measure:

Germany’s nuclear power production at its peak was never above 30% and given the increase in electricity demand in those 30 years even if they kept all those reactors forever it would still be irrelvant low today. But it’s good for propaganda to pretend otherwise

Germany while actively exiting nuclear power reduced nuclear power generation by less than France in the same time frame, just because they couldn’t keep all old their old reactors alive.

France today has not nearly enough nuclear power just to cover the minimal required base load of projected demand by 2050. (They also will need 14 completely new big reactors -not the 6 with optionally another 8, but the full set- to get there.) That’s the actual amount necessary to invest in nuclear.

Which also means basically any single country claiming to go for a nuclear solution is bullshitting you. Because they all don’t plan to build even remotely enough to ever cover base load. Why aren’t they? Because nobody has a clue how to foot that bill.

Also every nuclear model is actually a nuclear base load plus renewable model. Yet for some reason the exact same countries talking loudly about nuclear also lack the necessary renewables. Totally not caused by propaganda of course…

And at the end the not-so-fun fact: There is actually one thing you can criticise. The priority of reducing hard coal before lignite. But that’s caused by geopolitical factors (it’s domestic) and the fact that we inherited East Germany where lignite is sadly a big economic factor in some regions. One of the few relevant economy factors remaining in Eastern Germany. Just like cutting off Russian pipeline oil wasn’t a problem of oil per se but of Eastern German industries who build their existence on those deliveries even before the reunion.