The UK government has announced that the UK will introduce new legislation as soon as possible to restrict the granting of new coal mining licenses and ban new coal mining projects. Coal-fired power generation remains the largest source of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions globally, so phasing it out is a key step in the fight against climate change, the British government said in a statement on its official website. This year, the UK closed its last coal-fired power station. Coal mining has provided the UK with energy for more than 140 years, but it’s time to embrace the clean energy era, the UK Energy Secretary said.
The Global Carbon Budget report shows that global carbon dioxide emissions may hit a record high this year, putting the world further off track to meet important climate goals. As the age of coal comes to an end and the age of clean energy accelerates, the UK Government has committed to unprecedented investment in home-grown clean energy, including carbon capture and hydrogen. The initiative is part of the UK’s drive for an energy transition and action to reduce carbon emissions to combat climate change and help control global temperature rise to stay within 1.5°C.
The UK’s Coal Power History
As the first country in Europe to use coal in large quantities, the UK pioneered the use of coal-fired power generation. 1882 saw the construction of the first coal-fired power station in the history of mankind in London – the Hoburne-Wyadacott Coal-Fired Power Station – which initially produced electricity to light up just one section of London’s streets. Soon the towering chimneys and steamy cooling towers of coal-fired power stations were spread across the UK. By the beginning of the 20th century, 100 percent of Britain’s electricity came from coal-fired power stations, and by 1950 it still stood at around 96 percent. However, in tandem with this, the soot produced by coal combustion and the UK’s wet weather produced a series of complex reactions, choking fog gradually covered many parts of the UK, especially London, which became known as the Fog Capital.
In 1956, the UK passed the Clean Air Act, which made clear requirements for the establishment of smoke-free zones, the renovation of fireplaces, and the banning of black smoke emissions. From that year onwards, coal consumption in the UK did show a downward trend, but the amount of coal used for power generation rose rather than fell. At that time, the UK was in a period of economic recovery, and the demand for electricity was very strong. And there was no suitable alternative to coal.
A notable turnaround came in the 1990s. Coal’s share of the UK’s electricity supply declined sharply during this period, and as coal-fired power generation was gradually replaced by gas-fired power generation, which has a relatively low environmental load, and renewable energy sources such as wind became popular in the early 21st century, demand for coal-fired power generation weakened further. Since then, the process of phasing out coal-fired power generation in the UK has largely kept pace with the development of renewable energy. Along with the rapid development of renewable energy sources, mainly wind, solar and biomass, in the UK, which are becoming cheaper and more socially acceptable, the UK has also begun to carry out a deeper degree of transition away from coal.
According to the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero Emissions, in 2023, coal-fired power generation will account for only 1.3 percent of electricity supply; renewable power generation will account for 34.8 percent, surpassing gas-fired power generation for the first time and leaping to the top. The UK government has made large-scale investments in the renewable energy sector, encouraging the promotion of offshore wind power by identifying developable sea areas and issuing subsidies. At the same time, the UK has also adopted energy efficiency measures and the significant reduction in electricity demand has also facilitated the abolition of coal-fired power generation.
Today, the UK’s electricity system is very different from what it was a few decades ago, with renewables making up an increasing proportion of the generation mix, and renewable generation doubling in five years from 50 TWh in 2013 to 110 TWh in 2018. in 2024, the UK’s renewable generation is expected to be more than 150 TWh. in 2023, renewable energy supplied 44 percent of electricity supply, up from 31 percent in 2018 and 7 percent in 2010.
Economic And Environmental Considerations
The damage to ecosystems and the contribution of coal power to climate change cannot be ignored. Air pollution from coal combustion leads to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths globally every year, according to the Lancet Commission on Public Health. Carbon dioxide emissions from coal burning are one of the main drivers of global warming. The UK has been leading the way in meeting the global climate change goal of phasing out coal-fired power generation. The UK government plans to ban new coal mining and promote a shift to greener energy solutions to achieve clean energy self-sufficiency.
The decline of the coal-fired industry will undoubtedly have an impact on the local economy, particularly on areas and communities that rely on it. Issues such as job losses and contraction of the industry chain need to be properly addressed. However, the rise of the renewable energy industry offers new economic growth. According to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the renewable energy industry has already created more than 400,000 jobs and is expected to grow further in the future.
The UK’s National Energy System Operator (NESO) has confirmed that meeting clean energy targets by 2030 is feasible and could unlock cheaper, safer electricity. The UK government has accelerated its energy transition program by lifting the ban on onshore wind projects in the UK, approving 2GW of new solar projects and announcing the largest-ever investment in offshore wind. In addition to this, the UK government recently confirmed £21.7bn of funding for carbon capture projects in the North West and North East of England, which will support up to 50,000 jobs, and £2.3bn of funding for the first round of electrolytic hydrogen production contracts.
Global Market Impacts And Challenges
The UK’s coal ban has created new challenges and opportunities in the international energy market, and the move may prompt other countries to rethink their energy policies. In the context of globalization, policy decisions in one country often cause knock-on effects, especially among major economies. For example, many coal-dependent countries may be under pressure to adjust their domestic energy policies to meet the megatrend of global climate governance.
However, the energy transition is not a smooth one. The global clean energy transition faces enormous challenges at all levels, from the technological to the economic to the social. How to find a balance between the development of clean energy and the transition from traditional energy sources is an important issue for all countries.
