Key Points
In a landmark moment for the UK's power sector, the last remaining coal plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, is set to close at midnight on September 30...
According to new analysis by the environment think tank Ember, the UK's power sector has undergone a rapid transition, reducing coal's share of generation from 39 per cent in 2012 to 0 per cent in October 2024..
The coal phase-out began in earnest from 2012, mandating the closure or fuel-switching of 15 coal power plants by 2023, and making coal-free days increasingly common...
The growth of wind and solar power, generating an additional 75 TWh since 2012, displaced an estimated 28 million tonnes of coal and avoided 2.9bn in coal costs...
Embers report identifies five main factors behind the UK's successful shift from coal: Ambitious decarbonisation targets, a rising minimum carbon price making coal less economical, robust policy support for wind power, market reforms, and investments in grid innovation..
