The UK is one of the countries that has taken significant measures in the past years to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and develop renewable energy. It is a country where reports show that the consumption of fossil fuels in the electricity generation sector increased by 20% in the last year alone. This article deals with reasons for record fall in fossil fuels use in the UK and globally.
Growing statistics of electricity generation from wind sources
According to Reuters, for the first time in Europe in the last quarter of 2023, electricity production from wind sources was more than coal. In 2023, the increase in renewable energy capacity in Europe, the United States of America, and Brazil has reached its highest level. Turning to renewable energy and alternative sources is the most critical reasons for record fall in fossil fuels use.
Increase in electricity production from renewable energies
In Portugal, renewable energies provided 61% of the electricity consumed in 2023, the highest amount recorded in this country. In Germany in 2023, renewable energy accounted for a record share of about 60% of electricity production. Germany’s electricity wholesale market price was negative in 301 hours out of 8760 trading hours. In April 2023, Germany decommissioned its last nuclear power plants and stopped generating atomic electricity.
Reduction of the average price of electricity in Europe
In Europe, the average electricity price, except in Italy, decreased to the same level as in 2021. One of the reasons for this is the increase in electricity production from renewable sources compared to 2022. The past year has highlighted Europe’s efforts to switch to green energy. For example, Luxembourg, which ranks first in the European Union, has produced 89% of its electricity from renewable sources. Austria ranks second with 87%, and Lithuania ranks third with 81%. The growth of electricity production from renewable sources in Austria is mainly related to the increase in the use of solar panels, which doubled in 2023 compared to 2022.
Reducing electricity generation through fossil fuels
The amount of electricity produced by fossil fuels in the UK is currently at its lowest since 1957. The Guardian recently published a report on the UK electricity industry’s challenges. In this report, the Guardian pointed to the severe restrictions on the UK’s fossil fuel supply. Citizens Advice pointed out that the number of people unable to pay their electricity bills has increased unprecedentedly. It asked the UK government to create fairer conditions with targeted support for low-income groups.
UK government investments in clean energy
Low-carbon energy sources currently account for 56% of UK electricity generation, still a long way from the government’s targets for a 95% low-carbon mix by 2030 and a fully decarbonized grid by 2035. In a report, Bloomberg New Energy Finance announced that the total spending on clean energy last year increased by 17% and reached 1.8 trillion dollars. This included investments to install renewable energy, purchase electric vehicles, build hydrogen production systems, and deploy other technologies.
The share of renewable energy in the UK electricity supply
There are many reasons for record fall in fossil fuels use. The UK government is facing severe restrictions in supplying fossil fuels. Imported gas to the UK has also decreased drastically in recent years. Therefore, a significant share of this country’s electricity is provided through renewable energy and directly imported from France or Norway. For example, in the first quarter of 2023, the share of renewable energy in the UK’s electricity supply reached 42%. Only one-third of the country’s electricity came from gas and coal power plants. The country’s remaining electricity came from the its nuclear plants and from imports from other countries
Reasons for record fall in fossil fuels use
There has been a lack of fuel supply for the UK’s electricity generation. Therefore, government officials have tried to generate more electricity through wind, solar, hydroelectric, and biomass in the last three years. This effort has resulted in a 42% increase in renewable energy generation capacity. According to the report presented by the industry magazine Carbon Brief, in 2023 and compared to the peak of 2008, the amount of electricity produced in the UK from fossil fuels decreased by two-thirds. More specifically, the consumption of coal will decrease by 97% and Gas consumption has also decreased by 43%.
Benefits of the UK’s switch to renewable energy
In the UK, energy production from renewable energy sources has increased six times since 2008. Many wind and solar farms have been built to produce electricity in the UK. Furthermore, the demand for household electricity consumption has decreased by 22% since 2005. This decline has been due to price policies, tariff increases, and increasing the efficiency of household appliances. New reports in this regard show that the cost of a year’s energy consumption of an English family will reach 1,928 pounds in 2024.
The emphasis of the UK government on the management of household electricity consumption
Implementing electricity consumption management plans in the household sector through increasing tariffs and the efficiency of household appliances in the UK is emphasized. The government has planned to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels to zero by 2050. As a result, according to new assessments, the demand for electricity consumption in the UK will soon double. This means there will be a strong need for electricity in many other sectors, such as transportation. Therefore, reducing electricity consumption in the household sector and increasing electricity generation capacity from renewable energy sources can be the answer to this policy.
Significant reduction in the level of fossil fuel consumption in the UK
A new report shows that Britain’s electricity generation from fossil fuels is at its lowest level since 1957. Carbon Brief’s analysis shows that by 2023, fossil fuel consumption fell by 22%, accounting for just 33% of the UK’s energy mix. Electricity generated from fossil fuels totaled 104 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2023, the lowest in 66 years.
Shutdown of UK coal power plants in 2023
According to Carbon Brief, three of the UK’s four coal-fired power stations closed in 2023. West Burton in Nottinghamshire closed in March. Then, Drax in Yorkshire closed in April, and Kilroot in Northern Ireland closed at the end of September. Only Ratcliffe in Nottinghamshire remains operational. It plans to close in September 2024.
Urgent global need to invest in clean technologies
Reasons for record fall in fossil fuels use were stated in this article. In May 25 2023, CNBC reported that global investment in energy would rich roughly $2.8 trillion in 2023. According to a new report from the International Energy Agency, over $1.7 trillion of that was to go on clean energy technologies
This high cost reflects the growing urgency of international action to tackle climate change after Earth’s hottest year on record. However, the world needs more than double investment in clean technology to reach zero emissions by the middle of this century. Britain has also taken extraordinary measures in this field, realizing the necessity of investing in renewable energy. Britain’s renewable energy efforts still need improvement.
