Power grid sees ‘greenest ever’ moment

Great Britain’s power grid saw its “greenest ever” moment on Easter Monday as low demand over the holiday weekend, combined with sunny spells and strong winds, allowed renewables to dominate the energy mix.

National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) said the carbon intensity of the power grid dropped to a new record low of 39gCO2/kWh at 1pm, with zero carbon sources providing nearly four fifths of electricity. Wind accounted for 39 per cent, solar for 21 per cent and nuclear for 16 per cent.

The previous record of 46 gCO2/kWh was set on 24 May 2020.

“This latest record is another example of how the grid continues to transform at an astonishing rate as we move away from fossil fuel generation and harness the growth of renewable power sources,” said ESO director Fintan Slye.

“It’s an exciting time and the progress we’re seeing with these records underlines the significant strides we’re taking towards our ambition of being able to operate the system carbon free by 2025.

“With COP26 later this year, records like this couldn’t come at a better time, showing that progress towards greener grids is possible. We look forward to sharing our learnings at COP26 and continuing to help system operators across the world exploit the potential of renewable power.

He added: “It’s also great to see more and more people engaging with electricity data via our app. Consumers understanding where their electricity comes from, and how their actions can play a role in determining the energy mix, will be crucial as we move towards a zero-carbon grid and our net zero targets.”

The ESO said there have been a spate of records over the past year, with wind producing its highest ever output (17.5GW) on 13 February and contributing its highest ever share of the electricity mix (59.9 per cent) on 26 August. Solar set equivalent records of 9.7GW and 34 per cent in May, whilst the power grid saw its longest ever coal-free run of almost 68 days between 10 April and 16 June.