Sustainability-triangle
To ensure balanced investment decisions E.ON examines plans from the basis of the sustainability triangle (People, Planet, Profit), whereby price, reliability of supply and environmental aspects form balanced parts of the decision process.
This also was the formula used to assess the construction of Maasvlakte Power Plant 3. The eventual choice was for a coal-fired power station using advanced powder-coal technology, with potential for co-firing with biomass. The power station has been prepared for heat supply and CO2 capture – which enables introduction of this new technology.
As the price of coal is less vulnerable than gas to the ups and downs of the world market, coal-fired power stations can count on lower and more even prices – also in the future. The far more substantial stock of coal – compared to gas – and the greater global spread in more politically balanced countries – is also a contributing factor.