German energy group RWE has cancelled plans for the 1,100 MW BOAplus lignite-fired power project at the site of the existing Niederaussem coal-fired power plant in Germany. Indeed, RWE has decided that it would no longer invest in the development of new (brownfield or greenfield) coal-fired power plants and that it would instead focus on renewable power generation. Following the completion of the asset swap transaction with E.ON, RWE aims to become one of the world’s largest renewable energy players.
The €1.5bn BOAplus project was unveiled in 2012 and aimed at replacing 1,200 MW of ageing units at Niederaussem. However, the project was delayed due to adverse market conditions, which did not allow for the project to be realised in the last years. It was expected to have an efficiency of 45%, a level never achieved before for a lignite power plant.