Target to end coal power brought forward

Boris Johnson has brought forward the phase-out of coal power generation by one year while accelerating moves to ban petrol and diesel cars and vans.

In his speech at the launch of the Glasgow COP 26 global climate change summit this morning (4 February) at London’s Science Museum, the prime minister said the government aims to reduce by 2024 to “zero” the proportion of electricity output generated by coal. The existing target is to eliminate coal power generation from the grid by 2025.

Last year, coal generated just three per cent of UK electricity, down from 70 per cent in 1990.

By the end of this year, only three coal power stations are due to remain online, including Drax’s plant at Selby where two of the generating units continue to use the fossil fuel. Drax has pledged to look at the options for these units “alongside discussions with National Grid, Ofgem and the UK government”.

The prime minister’s coal pledge followed an earlier government announcement that the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be brought forward to 2035, five years earlier than the 2040 target date set out in the Road to Zero strategy, published in 2017.

In addition, the ban will be extended to include hybrid vehicles as well as those purely reliant on internal combustion engines.

Johnson said in his speech, which followed strong criticism of the government’s preparations for the COP 26 summit, that “we must now act” to tackle climate change.

The two announcements follow the publication of new figures that show a further fall in UK emissions in 2018.

According to the final estimates of greenhouse gas emissions for 2018, published by the department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS), there was a fall of 2.1 per cent year-on-year to 451.5 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e).The chief factor in the drop was a 6.6 per cent reduction in emissions from the energy supply sector, as less coal and gas fired generation was used.

Emissions from transport fell by 1.4 per cent (1.8 MtCO2e) in 2018, the first time they have dropped since 2013. However, transport remained the largest emitting sector, responsible for 28 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), raised fears that the new target date for banning petrol and diesel cars and vans is too ambitious.

He said: “We still don’t have clarity on the future of the plug-in car grant – the most significant driver of EV uptake – which ends in just 60 days’ time, while the UK’s charging network is still woefully inadequate.”

Increased demand for electricity from heating and transport will require a quadrupling of production of zero-carbon power, Nuclear Industries Association chief executive Tom Greatrex said.

“Nuclear currently provides almost half of all our zero carbon electricity, and to make progress we need to replace our retiring fleet, and then do more.

“The good news is we have nuclear projects waiting in the wings, ready to deliver clean power, jobs and investment and we have the means to do this at a dramatically reduced cost. With updated energy policy coming this spring, the time for action is now.”

Audrey Gallacher, interim chief executive of Energy UK, said that suppliers look forward to the government putting flesh on the bones of its decarbonisation strategy when it published the long-awaited energy white paper.

She said: “We welcome this move by the government which we hope signals the start of an ambitious programme across government, in partnership with business, to enable us to reach net-zero by 2050 – something we think is not just achievable but that will bring huge benefits to the environment, the economy and to customers.

“Energy UK has long called for a 2035 date for the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles, with our members already delivering innovative tariffs and EV charging options to make the transition a positive experience for consumers.”

Energy UK has set out 14 steps for the government could take in the upcoming Budget and energy white paper.