The rise of renewable energy sources has been a significant development in recent years. With growing scientific consensus around climate change, it became evident that reducing global greenhouse gas emissions was essential, and coal—one of the dirtiest fossil fuels—was a key target.
In 2008, the UK set its first legally binding climate targets, and in 2015, Amber Rudd, then energy and climate change secretary, announced that the country would eliminate coal power use within the following decade.
Energy Industry Gets A Clear Direction
Dave Jones, director of global insights at Ember, an independent energy think tank, said this decision helped to “set in motion” the end of coal by giving the energy industry a clear direction.
Lord Deben added that the UK’s action set a precedent for others to follow, stating, “I think it’s made a big difference, because you need someone to point to and say, ‘There, they’ve done it. Why can’t we do it?'”
In 2010, renewable energy sources contributed only 7% of the UK’s power. By the first half of 2024, this figure had surpassed 50%, setting a new record. The rapid growth of renewables made it possible to temporarily switch off coal power, with the first coal-free days occurring in 2017.
A chart illustrating daily electricity generation from coal in Great Britain shows that in the early 2010s, coal accounted for 40-50% of power on many days, represented by dark grey and black areas. By the early 2020s, green areas indicate the occurrence of coal-free days.
The growth of renewables has been so successful that the deadline to end coal power was moved up by a year, and on Monday, Ratcliffe-on-Soar was set to shut down.
“A Very Momentous Day”
Chris Smith, who has worked at the plant for 28 years in the environment and chemistry team, described the closure as “a very momentous day.” She said, “The plant has always been running, and we’ve always done our best to keep it going… It is a very sad moment.”
Lord Deben, who served in Margaret Thatcher’s government when many of the UK’s coal mines were closed, leading to job losses for thousands of workers, stressed the importance of learning from that experience for today’s fossil fuel industry workers.
He said, “I’m particularly keen on the way this Government, and the previous one, is trying to ensure that new green jobs go to the regions affected by these changes. In North Sea oil areas, for example, it’s exactly where we should focus on carbon capture and storage and establish wind and solar energy projects.”
Despite its polluting nature, coal’s benefit has been its reliability, as it is available at all times, unlike wind and solar energy, which depend on weather conditions.
Kayte O’Neill, the chief operating officer at the Energy System Operator, which oversees the UK’s electricity system, said, “There’s a lot of innovation needed to maintain grid stability and ensure secure power supply.”
A critical technology to achieve this stability is battery technology. Dr. Sylwia Walus, research program manager at the Faraday Institution, mentioned that significant progress has been made in battery science.
She added, “There’s always room for new technologies, but the current focus is on making batteries more sustainable and cheaper to produce.” Dr. Walus also explained that for the UK to succeed in this area, it needs to reduce its reliance on China for battery production and attract skilled workers to help meet these goals.
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