Cable Forum - View Single Post - Climate Change

**Hugh** · 15-10-2019, 15:07

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/ne...vxl2xxDkOcs9z8

Quote:

For the first time renewables overtake fossil fuels in UK power generation

July, August and September were the first quarter in which renewables outpaced fossil fuels since the 19th century, Carbon Brief said.

UK renewables generated more electricity than fossil fuel power plants over the past three months, in a landmark moment for the country.

The months of July, August and September were the first quarterly period in which renewables outpaced fossil fuels since the UK’s first public power generating station opened in 1882, climate website Carbon Brief said.

The new milestone confirms predictions made by National Grid that 2019 will be the first year since the Industrial Revolution that zero-carbon electricity – renewables and nuclear – overtakes gas and coal-fired power.

It is the latest milestone in the transformation of the UK’s power supplies, where just a decade ago some three-quarters of generation was coming from fossil fuels.

In 2010, coal, gas and oil generated more than 10 times as much electricity as renewables.

But since then electricity generation from renewables has more than quadrupled and demand has fallen, squeezing the share of power being generated by fossil fuels, Carbon Brief said.

Carbon Brief analysis found that in the third quarter of 2019, the UK’s wind farms, solar panels, biomass and hydropower plants generated an estimated total of 29.5 terawatt hours (TWh) of power.

That is higher than the figure for power stations fired by coal, gas and oil, which generated 29.1 terawatt hours, the assessment showed.

In the third quarter of 2019, some 40% of UK electricity came from renewables, and on a monthly basis outstripped fossil fuels in both August and September – the first time that has happened in two consecutive months.

And in the first three quarters of 2019, renewables outpaced fossil fuels on 103 of the 273 individual days, more than one-third of the days in the year so far.

The analysis, which is based on UK Business Department figures for the UK and BM Reports that cover the British grid and are adjusted to include Northern Ireland, is the latest to show the transformation of the grid.

Earlier this year, Government statistics showed more than half of the UK’s electricity in 2018 was generated from low-carbon sources, with renewables and nuclear reactors providing 52.6% of power generation.