UK takes lead with its fossil fuel phase-out

AS COP26 host, Britain can be proud of its record for reducing dependence on fossil fuels in the past decade.

A snapshot of the country’s energy mix shows no coal was used to produce electricity on Friday. Ten years ago coal provided almost 40 per cent of our supply and 1.5 per cent last October. By contrast, China, whose president is snubbing COP26, saw 56.8 per cent of its energy generation last year coming from coal.

The UK’s net zero carbon emissions drive is racing ahead, too, as renewable energy – from the sun, wind and water – made up 36.1 per cent of our power supply on Friday. That’s more than triple their 11.3 per cent contribution in 2011.

Britain’s 11,000 wind turbines now generate around a quarter of our electricity needs and solar power has shot up from zero generated in 2011 to around ten per cent now.