Feature

Powering a coal-free future: Is the UK’s coal-free hiatus here to stay?

Britain passed a significant landmark in June 2020: the nation went for two months without burning coal to generate power. A decade ago, around 40 percent of the UK’s electricity came from coal and, while the recent plummet in demand accounts for some of the success, it isn’t the full story.

02/11/2020 11:30:57

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Here, Simone Bruckner, Managing Director of Cressall, explains why the country no longer depends on burning coal that has, for so long, been the backbone of Britain’s power.

Britain's new coal-free period has smashed the previous record from June 2019, which lasted for 18 days, six hours and ten minutes. While that hiatus was caused by the
unprecedented shutdown of many of the National Grid’s coal-fired power plants, the disruptions in 2020 have been even more remarkable. They are, however, by no means the sole contributor to
coal’s decline.

Renewables on the rise

Ten years ago, wind and solar energy made up a meagre three percent of the country’s power mix. In the first six months
of 2020, however, renewables were responsible for 37 percent of the electricity supplied to the network – outstripping fossil fuels by two percent.

Read the full article in the November issue of DPA

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.