30-07-08 Europe, including Turkey and Russia, will see new power plants with a total capacity of 185,000 MW installed by the year 2030, German research institute Trendresearch said in its July report.
The lion's share of about 98,000 MW of new capacity will be gas-fired, followed by hard coal units, nuclear and lignite plants.

The study found growth rates were expected to increase further by 2030, but expectations were for growth to stabilize in the medium to long term. The majority of new projects will be realized by 2012, but project companies also expect delays and cancellations.
According to Trendresearch, more than 60 % of plant operators and over 70 % of plant construction companies expect a delay of at least two years for new projects, especially European coal and nuclear units. Gas power plants and renewables were expected to see a shorter delay time of six months to a year, due to a quicker application process and in light of fuel costs and climate protection targets, the study said.

The researchers also asked plant operators about potential risks and found that 75 % of interviewees consider the allocation plans for the European Union's third emission trading period from 2013 to be the greatest danger. Full auctioning, as suggested by the European Commission, posed a great risk for investments and led to planning insecurities, found Trendresearch.
Other risks named were price development of primary fuels and electricity, as those could extend the amortization period of investments.

Long planning procedures for new projects were also an issue. In terms of supply, the study found participants relied on an energy mix of fossil fuels and renewables for the long run.
The analysis is based on interviews with participants in the European power market.