Renewable power generation in the UK reached a record high in 2018, while electricity generated from fossil fuels fell to a record low, underscoring the energy transition under way in the world’s sixth-largest economy. Total electricity generation in the UK reached a 25-year low last year, because of economic restructuring and more energy efficient appliances and lighting, according to a new analysis from Carbon Brief, a climate research and news site. 2017 was the first year in which low-carbon power sources — including nuclear — surpassed fossil fuels as the UK’s biggest source of electricity, marking a major milestone in the decarbonisation of the UK energy sector. In 2018, there was a string of “coal free” days in 2018, when coal-fired power generation dropped to zero, partly because of the windy and warm summer. Coal provided just 5 per cent of UK power last year, down from more than a third in 2013. While the country has successfully reduced its emissions from electricity, there has not been enough progress in reducing emissions from heating and transportation to meet the targets, the committee warned in a report late last year. Financial Times

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