Drax : Fossil Fuel Power Generation Hits Record Lows As UK Says Farewell To Old King Coal

Wedoany.com Report-Nov 29,  The record low was followed by the symbolic end to coal-fired power generation in Britain with the closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, making the UK the first major economy to phase out coal power completely.

Despite the UK leading the way in decarbonisation among the G7, the report shows that significant challenges remain in decarbonising the power sector, including the needs to phase out natural gas, invest in grid infrastructure, and address rising balancing costs.

The findings have been released in the latest instalment of the quarterly Drax Electric Insights report. The publication is an independent report by academics from Imperial College London commissioned by Drax through Imperial Consultants.

In order for the country to achieve the goal of a net-zero power grid by 2030, Britain will need to reduce its share of gas from around 25% to 5% in just six years. This is in line with the pace of reduction for gas power generation seen since 2010, which was achieved in just three years for coal.

Share of Britain's electricity demand from fossil fuels, with the trajectory from 2024 to 2030 needed to meet the Government's expected definition of clean power.

"Phasing out natural gas at speed will be much more difficult than coal" explained Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London, the lead author of the quarterly Drax Electric Insights report series.

"Gas offers the grid a flexible supply that is difficult to replace, and one that is essential to energy security right now. If we continue to reduce our dependence on gas by prioritising wind and solar, they will need support from other technologies like long-duration energy storage (LDES) and dispatchable thermal power, and government will need a bold approach to rapidly upgrade our transmission grid."

He added: "The cost of decarbonisation will increase as we approach 100% clean power. Add to that the expected 50% growth in electricity demand by 2035, and it's clear to see we face major challenges in providing sufficient capacity and greater flexibility. The UK is leading the world on this, and must continue to lead by example and forge ahead as it has over the last decade, with effective decision making to enable a clear long-term vision."