The UK’s electricity is now amongst the cleanest in the world – having moved 13 places up the global rankings to be placed at number seven in terms of the carbon content of its electricity among large and industrialised countries.
According to the latest Electric Insights report, produced by researchers at Imperial College London in collaboration with Drax, Britain’s shift was the biggest for any country in the league table. The authors said that the UK’s carbon price has driven uptake in renewables and a shift away from coal to gas-fired power generation. The six countries with lower carbon electricity than Britain benefit from substantial hydropower resources or, in the case of France, a heavy reliance on nuclear.
Iain Staffell, from Imperial College London explained: “Britain is reducing its carbon emissions from electricity faster than any other major country, and this has happened because the carbon price and lower gas prices have forced coal off the system – the amount of coal-fired power generation in Britain has fallen 80% between 2012 and 2016. In the Netherlands, coal-fired electricity output has risen 40% over the same period as generators only have to pay the much lower European carbon price.”
Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO said: “The analysis by Dr Staffell and the team at Imperial College London shows quite clearly the impact Britain’s carbon price has had in terms of helping to ensure we produce cleaner power for the UK’s homes and businesses. It’s therefore vital that we maintain a meaningful carbon price when the chancellor announces the Autumn Budget, if we are to meet our commitments on climate change. Without it we could see a reversal of the impressive results achieved so far – look at what’s happened elsewhere.”
Britain’s carbon emissions from electricity almost halved (47%) between 2012 and 2016, and the carbon impact of Britain’s electricity has fallen more than twice as fast as any other major economy.
The Netherlands moved 8 points down the leader table, to New coal power stations were built in the Netherlands between 2013 and 2016, leading to a dramatic increase in their coal consumption and carbon emissions.
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