Boxberg Power Plant And Coal Mine

WEISSWASSER, GERMANY - AUGUST 04: Steam rises from cooling towers at the Boxberg coal-fired power plant behind the Nochten open-pit lignite coal mine on August 4, 2008 near Weisswasser, Germany. Giant excavators remove the upper layers of sandy soil so that other excavators can scoop up the coal beneath, which then runs on conveyor belts directly to the power plant. Germany, despite its commitments to alternative energy sources, is continuing to invest heavily in the construction of new coal-fired plants. Swedish energy conglomerate Vatenfall operates the Nochten mine. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)