UK wind generated more electricity than coal in 2016

That’s what the data reveals in the Carbon Brief Analysis, in which they say,

The UK generated more electricity from wind than from coal in the full calendar year of 2016, Carbon Brief analysis shows.

The milestone is a first for the UK and reflects a collapse in coal generation, which contributed just 9.2% of UK electricity last year, with 11.5% from wind. The coal decline saw its output fall to the lowest level since 1935.

This chart [click to enlarge], compiled from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy data and other sources, shows the dramatic change in the UK’s energy mix. Go to the Analysis to see the interactive version of this chart. There’s another table in the report showing how solar is making an increasing, though as yet small, contribution to our energy mix.

Upcoming investment into electricity interconnectors

In my articles on how wind power provides an increasing amount of the UK power supply, and coal a reducing amount, I said I’d follow-up with more information on power supply.

If you look at the Gridwatch screen you’ll see over on the right hand side dials indicating energy supply via electricity interconnectors with France, Netherlands, and Ireland. Ofgem says about them,

Electricity interconnectors are the physical links which allow the transfer of electricity across borders.

Britain’s electricity market currently has 4GW of interconnector capacity:

• 2GW to France (IFA)
• 1GW to the Netherlands (BritNed)
• 500MW to Northern Ireland (Moyle)
• 500MW to the Republic of Ireland (East West).

There are issues with these undersea cables, as the Moyle is working at half capacity due to cable faults, as is the interconnector to France – see HERE.

Given the general tightness of supply in the UK energy market, there are plans for new electricity interconnectors,

• BBC reports on a new 2GW interconnector to France by 2021
• Utility Week reports on UK and Norway extending links

Government provide UK energy mix statistics in detail – notable reduction in coal

For readers who, might – just might, have become interested in the current state of the UK’s energy issues, I’ve got a couple more articles on the topic to feed that interest.

In the December 22nd Press Notice from the Department for Business, Energy, & Industrial Strategy on the release of Qtr3 2016 UK energy statistics is this,

Low carbon electricity’s share of generation accounted for a record high 50.0 per cent in the third quarter of 2016, up from 45.3 per cent in the same period of 2015, with increased generation from renewables (wind and solar) and nuclear.

What’s startling in the Press Notice is the table showing the reduction in the amount of coal used for power generation. See table below. This important change is explained in the complete UK Energy Trends statistics for Qtr3 2016 – all 110 pages of it. Here’s part of the story from the report – associated with the table below.

Coal production in the third quarter of 2016 was 1.0 million tonnes, 28 per cent lower than the third quarter of 2015. This was mainly due to the last large deep mine Kellingley closing in December 2015. Deep mine production fell by 99 per cent to 5 thousand tonnes (a new record low). There are just seven small deep mines remaining. Surface mine production rose by 1.8 per cent to 1.0 million tonnes