Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Electricity Fossil Fuels in Great Britain Hits Low Record

POSTED ON April 24, 2024 •   Foreign Affairs      BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara
The sun sets over Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station near Nottingham l Credit: Matthew Vincent/PA l Source: PA Archive

The share of electricity generated by burning fossil fuels in Great Britain dropped to historically low levels in April,  as the country prepares to transition to a "zero-carbon grid" for short periods starting 2025. 

Data from National Grid's electricity system operator (ESO) showed that electricity generated from gas and coal fell to a record low of 2.4% for an hour on April 15. Additionally, the overall share of fossil fuels in the energy mix fell to a record low of 6.4% for an entire day on April 5. 

These findings align with the ESO's goal of achieving a zero-carbon electricity grid, with more than 90 percent of power coming from zero-carbon sources during certain periods. 

This marks a significant shift from 15 years ago when gas and coal made up 75% of the electricity mix, compared to only 2% from renewables.

The frequency of short periods where fossil fuels accounted for less than 5% of electricity generation has also increased dramatically in recent months, with 75 half-hour periods recorded this year compared to just five in 2022. 

This shift towards low-carbon electricity generation was driven by a surplus of renewable energy, with wind power contributing about half of the electricity generation during the record low period.

The shift to low-carbon generation has greatly reduced the contribution of gas-fired power to just 1.8% of Great Britain’s electricity generation, while the country’s last remaining coal power plant, located at Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, only generated 0.6%.

This plant is scheduled to shut down in September. Dyke emphasized that achieving this milestone required extensive effort over several years, involving not only technologies but also the cooperation of people across the industry, energy regulator, and government. 

He also highlighted the significant engineering challenge that has been overcome to reach the 2025 ambition.

READ ALSO
Nigeria, Canada forge new Aviation ties with bilateral Air services agreement
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara March 26, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - In a notable achievement for the aviation sector, the Minister of Aviation and Aero...

READ ALSO
Nigeria risks losing LNG market share without addressing theft, vandalism - Aderemi
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara March 25, 2025 0

The Chairman of the International Law Association (ILA), Dr. Tolu Aderemi, has discussed how Nigeria...

READ ALSO
India reaffirms commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara March 20, 2025 0

LAGOS, Nigeria - The High Commission of India has reiterated its commitment to enhancing bilateral r...

READ ALSO
Sierra Leone's President highlights needs for local food production to combat import dependency
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara March 6, 2025 0

IBADAN, Nigeria- The President of Sierra Leone, Julius Bio, expressed concerns on Wednesday in Ibada...

READ ALSO
JUST IN: Tinubu arrives in Ethiopia for 38th African Union Summit
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara February 14, 2025 0

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to take part in the 38th Ordinary Sessio...

READ ALSO
Destabilise Niger Republic baseless – FG
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara December 27, 2024 0

NIGERIA- The Nigerian government has described as baseless, allegations by Nigerien military leader,...

READ ALSO
Benin electoral officials visit Nigeria to study INEC
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara December 17, 2024 0

ABUJA (NAN) - At least 12 high-ranking officials from the national electoral management body of Beni...

READ ALSO
Tinubu commits to diplomacy for ECOWAS reintegration of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara December 12, 2024 0

President Bola Tinubu has stated that the interest and welfare of the citizens of Mali, Burkina Faso...

OUR CHANNELS:

Lagos faces severe traffic chaos as Independence Bridge repairs begin after Sallah holiday
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

LAGOS, NIGERIA - Lagos residents faced a challenging situation yesterday as they returned to work fo...


FG signs $174.6M agreement with UNIDO to enhance Nigeria's industry
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

The Federal Government and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) have enter...


U.S. shows highest anxiety over AI Job loss amidst technological advancements
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

Despite its advanced status, research indicates that the United States of America (USA) has the high...


Bayelsa communities threaten to halt oil production over security contract dispute
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

BAYELSA, Nigeria - Nigeria’s struggling oil output may be on the brink of another crisis as co...


NITDA Partners Afrovision technologies to bridge job gap for Nigeria’s Tech Talent
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

In an effort to tackle the ongoing challenge of job placement for Nigeria’s expanding tech tal...


Falana advocates for accountability and rule of law
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

Human rights Lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on Nigerians to seek accountability from their le...


FG signals tough stance on underdeveloped Oilfields, calls for strategic IOC investments
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

The Federal Government expressed its worries on Tuesday about the growing number of idle and underde...


OpenAI valuation hits $300 billion after SoftBank-led fund
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

The Japanese telecommunications company, alongside a group of investors, has recently announced yet...


Fuel prices expect to fall below N750 by Year-End - NIPSS
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 3, 2025 0

The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) has said that with Dangote Refinery...


Nigeria imposes N20m fine, 10-Year Jail Term for Ponzi scheme offenders
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara April 2, 2025 0

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has stated that promoters and operators of Ponzi scheme...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu