Coal Is Off The Grid For The First Time In +100 years

Can it be that coal dropped off the grid? Coal has been burning in electricity generation plants since 1882. The continuous use of coal has been a cheap way to provide heat and light for our homes. Coal power has fuelled economic growth. Coal has been the bane of our country’s inner cities for just as long. The dark days of the London fogs killed thousands. China is now dealing with a similar epidemic of coal related deaths. But now an end is near. The UK is turning the corner on dirty fuels.

Here in the UK we have been supporting renewable energy for several years. Solar energy grew very quickly during the FIT years. Wind generators were built from cornwall to Coventry. Wind power was built in the seas surrounding the UK as well. At one point only a few years ago we had the fastest growing wind generation system of any country on earth.

 

 

 

 

Wind and other renewables takes coal off the grid

Now we see the dividends. Now we see cleaner energy generation. In 2016 for the

first time in over 120 years no coal was burned. No dirty coal fumes polluted our skies for a few short hours. For a few days in 2016 our energy was cleaner. For just four days in 2016 coal was off the grid.

The current government has cut support for renewables of all types. The Feed In Tariff was cut twice and is now a fraction of what it once was. The government is taxing solar installations further hampering continued growth. Wind generators on shore and off shore have been hit hard by this government as well. Subsidies for wind generation have been cut. On shore wind has been nearly banned by government blockades and red tape. Meanwhile the fracking that no one wants is being forced through local communities against the will of local government. New nuclear power that will bankrupt the country is going forward with billions of illegal subsidies.

Perhaps the government needs to rethink their support for fossil fuels and nuclear power.