UK closes its last coal power plant today: 'The era of clean energy begins'

Electricity generation at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power plant, which has served the Nottinghamshire region of the UK for 57 years, ends today. The UK will become the world's first 'advanced economy' to stop generating energy from coal.

Electricity production will cease today at Ratcliffe-on-Soar, located in the UK's Nottinghamshire region and operated by Uniper.

With the closure of the plant, which has been generating electricity for 57 years, the UK's 142-year era of coal-fired electricity generation will also come to an end.

The UK will be the first G7 country to phase out coal in the electricity sector.

While approximately 100 employees at the Uniper-operated plant will work on the decommissioning process over the next two years, the company plans to employ its other staff at different power plants or provide training to help them find jobs in other areas of the energy sector.

The UK government had decided to invest in the renewable energy sector through the Great British Energy (GB Energy) company, which will be established with a capital of 8.3 billion pounds.

COAL USE FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION IN THE UK

Meanwhile, as the share of coal in electricity generation has decreased, the share of solar and wind energy has increased. The UK, which continues to generate electricity from natural gas, aims for a completely carbon-free electricity generation system by 2030.

According to an analysis by the London-based international think tank Ember, the share of coal in the UK's electricity generation, which has been used since 1882, fell to 39 percent by 2012 and to 2 percent in 2019.

In 2015, the UK announced that it would end coal-fired electricity generation by 2025.

OECD COUNTRIES ARE ABANDONING COAL

According to the Ember analysis, the share of coal in electricity generation within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) peaked at 36 percent in 2007 and fell to 17 percent last year.

Currently, one-third of OECD countries do not use coal in their electricity generation. These countries include Costa Rica, Estonia, and Lithuania, which have never used coal, as well as Switzerland, Luxembourg, Latvia, Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Portugal, Norway, and Slovakia, which have closed their coal plants.

As of October 1, the UK will join these countries.

The UK's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy aims to create employment for 440,000 people in the country by 2030 with its green energy transition strategy.

'CLEAN ENERGY IS DRIVING ECONOMIES'

UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks described the closure of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant as "the end of an era."

Ember Managing Director Phil MacDonald stated that it is important to show that polluting sources have an end date while also providing a favorable environment to build a new clean energy system.

Noting that coal was previously seen as necessary for industrial growth, MacDonald said, 'Now, clean energy is driving economies, and not just in high-income countries, but all over the world.'

Sean Rai-Roche, Policy Advisor for the Coal to Clean Energy Program at the international climate change think tank E3G, stated that labor unions in the UK are optimistic about a fair transition process for plant workers, noting that unions and the plant's owner have worked together to ensure workers can find jobs in similar fields.

'A FAST AND FAIR TRANSITION IS POSSIBLE'

Alexandru Mustata, a campaigner at Beyond Fossil Fuels, also expressed that the UK's closure of its last coal-fired thermal power plant is a significant victory.

Noting that healthier, cheaper, and more reliable renewable energy sources are replacing coal in the UK's electricity generation, Mustata shared the view: 'European countries that still burn coal should take note of this. With strong action against polluters, civil society engagement, and political consensus, a fast and fair transition to a safe and affordable renewable energy-based energy system is possible.'

Öykü Şenlen, Senior Researcher for the Coal to Clean Energy Program at E3G, stated that Turkey also has the opportunity to show leadership on climate by setting a coal phase-out strategy, adding:

'Given Turkey's official bid to host the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its interest in securing international grants and financing opportunities, it is critical for it to demonstrate how it plans to phase out coal and increase the share of clean energy sources.'

News Source: AA