August 2024: a record-breaking month
The UK’s electricity grid had its greenest ever month in August, when the amount of power generated by fossil fuels fell to a record low. Data shows that both wind and solar produced more electricity than gas throughout the month. The amount of power generated by fossil fuels dropped to 3.6 terawatt-hours (TWh). By comparison, even in lockdown, it never fell below 4TWh.
The figures come as the UK’s last coal-fired power plant at Ratcliffe-on-Soar prepares to close on September 30th, marking the end of coal-fired power in the UK. At its peak, coal provided more than a third of our electricity.
End of an era
After powering the UK for 57 years, the forthcoming closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar marks the end of the UK’s long history of coal power use, which began with the launch of the Holborn Viaduct power station in 1882. The shutdown is a clear marker in the UK’s green energy transition as we switch away from traditional fossil fuel energy sources in favour of renewable energy alternatives.
The UK became the first country to set an end date for coal power use from 2025, with the closure making the UK the first G7 nation to stop using coal power.
‘The era of coal might be ending, but a new age of good energy jobs for our country is just beginning,’ said Michael Shanks, Minister of Energy. ‘The government's clean energy superpower mission is about creating good jobs in wind power and new technologies like carbon capture and storage. That work is helping boost our energy security and independence, protecting families from international hikes in the price of fossil fuels and with it, creating jobs and tackling climate change.’
The phase out of coal will have significant and positive impacts on the UK's emission reduction strategies. According to analysis from Carbon Brief, coal-fire power stations in the UK has burned through roughly 4.6bn tonnes of coal over its 142 years of use, generating 10.4bn tonnes of CO2. Reduced demand for fossil fuels and an increase in the roll-out of green energy technologies will cut the UK’s emissions at faster rates.
Growing the UK’s green share
For the year 2023/4, gas maintained the highest share of the energy mix at 32 per cent, closely followed by wind with 29.4 per cent, nuclear with 14.2 per cent, biomass with 5 per cent, solar with 4.9 per cent, and lastly coal with 1 per cent.
This energy mix translated to a much lower level of carbon intensity. 15 April 2024 generated a record low level of carbon dioxide at just 19gCO2/kWh. Over time, the UK energy gird’s annual carbon intensity is declining, dropping from 529 gCO2/kWh in 2013 to 138gCo2/kWh in 2023. This level is set to decline further with the rollout of more renewable energy projects.
The EU’s energy endeavours
Analysis shows a similar pattern across the EU. In the first six months of 2024, wind and solar reached an all time high, generating 30 per cent of the EU’s electricity, compared to just 27 per cent from fossil fuels, representing a decline of 17 per cent.
The decline of coal alongside a solar and wind energy boom is primarily responsible for this.
Over this period, coal has seen the sharpest decline of almost a quarter, 24 per cent, and gas fell by 14 per cent. As a multitude of EU member states rollout renewable energy acceleration policies and schemes, the share of clean energy powering the EU is likely to increase further year-on-year as fossil fuel reliance continues on a downward trend.
Aims and ambitions
The Labour government aims to run the UK’s power grid on virtually zero carbon electricity by 2030 thanks to a surge in new wind and solar farms. Its flagship auction for renewable energy subsidies awarded contracts for 131 new projects, or enough new clean electricity projects to power 11m UK homes. However, it secured just half the offshore wind capacity needed every year for the rest of the decade if the government is to hit its net zero target.
Having the lowest monthly fossil fuel share on record shows that homegrown wind and solar can reduce reliance on imports. This really is a great starting point on the path to clean power by 2030.
The analysis confirmed forecasts that Great Britain was on track for a record summer for solar power. Electricity generation from the sun reached a monthly average of 1.86TWh over the calendar summer, up by almost 20% from the same period last year.
Windfarms also generated a record summer high of 7.04TWh in August, more than 46% higher than in the same month last year. The average monthly wind output between June and August climbed to 5.6TWh, up 40% from last summer.
At the same time Britain’s fleet of nuclear reactors recorded their highest electricity output in almost two years in August, generating 3.89TWh last month.
Carl Dodd, Property Revolutions Ltd.
