Sunny Spell Allows U.K. to Set Record for Coal-Free Days

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. posted a record run without coal-fired power as solar output jumped and demand was lower than usual because of the lockdown.

It’s yet another sign of how renewable power is rewriting energy economics. Britain has already reduced its reliance on coal in the winter months with operators expecting to generate very little outside of the coldest times. Coal’s portion of the power generation mix has dropped from 40% just seven years ago to 2.5% in 2019.

The nation on Tuesday entered its 19th day without burning coal at power plants, according to National Grid Plc data. Record solar generation in Britain has kept fossil-fuel output down this month just as lockdown measures have kept industry and commerce largely closed.

“Lockdown measures in place since late March have seen a significant reduction in demand across the country, with an increase in domestic consumption being outweighed by reduced industrial demand,” National Grid’s Electricity System Operator unit said in a statement. “The change in demand, along with frequent sunny and windy spells across the country, are all contributing factors to the latest records.”

The lowest prices for a decade have sweetened the economics for gas-burning power plants above more expensive coal. The nation will quit the fuel entirely by the middle of this decade and the policy ambition has seen the country’s emissions tumble to pre-industrial levels. The only stations remaining that haven’t indicated when they will shut are: Electricite de France SA’s West Burton A, Uniper SE’s Ratcliffe and Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding AS’s Kilroot.

“It is difficult to see why any coal stations should run again at the moment as the low demand due to the coronavirus crisis continues along with the low prices of summer,” Phil Hewitt, director at Enappsys Ltd.

The same changes to the electricity mix can be seen across the continent in Germany where coal plants are being squeezed out by record amounts of renewable power. Germany plans to hold on to some of its plants because of the tens of thousands of workers the industry still employ. Plans are to close the last of its coal stations by 2038.

Read more about Germany’s solar record here.

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