Image: Glyn Drury, CC BY-SA 2.0
The impacts of COVID-19 and increasing renewable energy capacity have seen Britain achieve a new record period free of coal-fired electricity generation.
Around mid-afternoon yesterday in Australia, the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) tweeted:
“Britain’s done it! It’s a new record for the longest period of #coalfree #electricity generation in this country. 18 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and counting.”
The new record is still being set. Around 5.30AM this morning Adelaide time, UK_Coal tweeted:
“GB Grid: #Coal is generating 0.00GW (0.00%) out of 32.02GW. Continuous time without coal: 18 days 21 hours”
Solar power has had an important part in this event, with an all-time peak generation record of 9.68GW set in Great Britain at 12:30 on Monday 20 April 2020 (local time) . The University of Sheffield Solar Tracker notes just over 13GW of solar capacity is installed in GB.
“Solar is playing a critical role in delivering a fossil-free grid and cleaner, cheaper power to Britain,” said Solar Trade Association (STA) Chief Executive Chris Hewett. “As we look towards a net zero future, solar will become an increasingly greater part of the energy mix, tackling high power prices, climate change, and biodiversity loss.”
Mr. Hewett noted solar power also achieved a weekly generation record last week of 485.41GWh, attributed to ideal weather conditions and lower levels of pollution. The STA says more than 1 terawatt-hour of solar energy has been put into the grid since April 10.
UK_Coal usually produces a breakdown of sources and their shares after a new record is set, so it will be interesting to see how those numbers look. While Britain does import some electricity, as far as I know that is from sources including wind and nuclear energy, not coal.
The previous record for coal-free electricity was set in June last year. Britain achieved its first 100+ hours without coal-fired electricity generation in May 2019.
Towards A UK Entirely Free Of Coal Power
It won’t be long before Britain and the United Kingdom’s electricity system will be entirely coal-free. There are now only four operational coal-fired power stations in the UK – those facilities are, along with their intended closure dates (source: Wikipedia):
- Drax Units 5 & 6 – March 2021, but will remain available until September 2022
- West Burton A – 2023
- Kilroot – 2024
- Ratcliffe on Soar – 2024
Two of the stations, West Burton A and Ratcliffe on Soar were commissioned back in 1968 – so these two emissions-belching clunkers will have seen 55 and 56 years of service respectively by the time they are closed.
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