Electricity in the United Kingdom was the cleanest ever in 2024, with solar and wind generating all-time highs, a new analysis by Carbon Brief said.
The report found that per unit carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by over two-thirds in a decade. The analysis attributed this to the phasing out of coal in the UK, which now generates less than half the amount of electricity from fossil fuels than it did a decade ago. Meanwhile, the generation of power from renewable sources has more than doubled.
“Having risen to global dominance on the back of coal-fired industrial might, the UK has made significant progress in cleaning up its power supplies over the past 75 years,” the Carbon Brief analysis said. “In addition, electricity demand has been falling for nearly two decades, as appliances have become more efficient, and the economy has shifted away from heavy industry.”
As the report pointed out, the UK shut down its last coal-fired power stationin September, …