Germany has already met its 2028 goal for reducing coal-fired power generation, so won’t need to order the shutdown of any plants for a second year running, the country’s regulator said.

Germany has an interim 2028 target of reducing coal-fired power by 8.7 gigawatts, and as of Sept. 1 it had exceeded this level by about 10%, the Federal Network Agency said on its website on Monday.

Almost two thirds of Germany’s electricity comes from renewables and excess solar power production has frequently pushed prices below zero, making burning coal less profitable. Yet Europe’s largest economy remains heavily dependent on the fossil fuel and is still the European Union’s biggest polluter.

The country plans to completely phase out coal-fired power by 2038, but some large lignite-burning plants that are connected to mining operations have been given more time to shut down to mitigate job losses. Hard-coal power plants and smaller lignite-burning facilities, which initially had the option to join auctions for voluntary shutdowns until 2026, can now be halted if the regulator deems it necessary.

Coal plant operators also have to buy carbon allowances under the EU Emissions Trading system, where prices have fluctuated widely this year between €60 and €84 a ton, and are currently around €74.

— With assistance from Will Mathis