New data has shown that the volume of UK electricity generated from fossil fuels has reached its lowest-ever recorded level.
The latest Drax Electric Insights report, which covers the third quarter of 2024, revealed that electricity generation from fossil fuels fell below 5GW for the first time in August of this year, with the carbon intensity of the UK’s electricity network also hitting a new record low of 78g/kWh as a result.
The third quarter of 2024 also saw the closest the nation has ever come to meeting its entire electricity demand with wind generation. On the morning of 22 August, grid demand was just under 20GW, and wind was producing 18.5GW, leading to interconnectors exporting electricity and pumped storage charging at close to full capacity.
The record low fossil fuel generation in Q3 2024 coincides with the closure of the UK’s last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-On-Soar, on 30 September. The UK is the fifth nation to phase out coal power, and the first of the G7 nations to do so.
While the removal of coal from our power grid is undoubtedly worthy of celebration, the phase-out of natural gas is still a major hurdle on the path to the UK’s net zero ambitions. According to the latest statistics from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Q2 2024 saw overall gas demand falling 12% compared to Q2 2023, although domestic consumption of natural gas rose by 2.1% from the previous year. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) states that in October 2024, gas made up 29.5% of British electricity generation.
The report is an independent analysis carried out by Imperial College London academics and commissioned by power producer Drax, which owns and operates biomass, hydroelectric, and pumped energy storage projects around the UK.
Transmission bottlenecks remain a concern
The Electric Insights report also highlights current concerns with the UK’s transmission system, as significant grid bottlenecks continue to force the curtailment of wind farms on their most productive days. According to Carbon Tracker, wasted wind energy due to curtailment is set to hit 5TWh by the end of 2024, which could cost UK consumers as much as £1bn as power producers pay to have gas generators turned on to meet demand.
As such, the report recommends that investments be made into both energy storage projects and transmission infrastructure. National Grid Energy Transmission (NGET) has already committed £30 billion of investment to transmission infrastructure by 2030.
“Phasing out natural gas at speed will be much more difficult than coal”, explained Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London, the lead author of the quarterly Drax Electric Insights report series.
“If we continue to reduce our dependence on gas by prioritising wind and solar, they will need support from other technologies like long-duration energy storage (LDES) and dispatchable thermal power, and the government will need a bold approach to rapidly upgrade our transmission grid.”
Bruce Heppenstall, plant director at Drax, said: “The end of coal was a poignant moment for the UK energy sector. It puts into perspective just how far we have come since the Climate Change Act was passed in 2008. It is imperative that we do not rest on our laurels and invest in flexible renewable power from a variety of sources.”
