German coal companies are facing criticism as they attempt to restructure their operations, leading to concerns that emissions may continue to rise. The owner of the country's second-largest coal miner has announced plans to separate its coal assets from its renewable energy operations, following in the footsteps of other fossil fuel-heavy corporations. However, there are fears that these spin-off entities may continue to operate with less pressure to transition to greener practices. While coal plants were considered essential for Germany's energy security during a recent crisis, companies are seeking more favourable financing options by divesting from coal assets. The pressure from the financial sector to divest from coal is increasing globally, but there is a risk that emissions could still increase if new owners choose to continue operating coal power plants. While multinational companies have been spinning off their coal businesses for some time, this trend has only recently gained momentum among German coal operators. Czech energy company EPH has announced plans to transfer its German lignite operations to a new sister company while pledging to completely abandon coal as a power source by 2030. However, the coal plants under the new company are expected to continue operating until 2035-2038. In contrast to larger global players, the push for coal divestment in Germany is driven by small shareholders and municipalities rather than large investment or pension funds. Despite these efforts, there are concerns that emissions reductions may not materialize, as seen in the case of Swedish energy company Vattenfall, which sold its lignite operations, resulting in the coal plants being restarted by the new owner. The potential for longer coal operations highlights the importance of operators' commitment to transitioning to cleaner energy sources.