Statistics from the National Grid show that last week was officially the UK's first ever working day without relying on power from coal since the industrial revolution.
The UK has relied on coal for power since it began using the fossil fuel and the only remaining plant (West Burton 1) went offline on Thursday 21 April 2017. Nation Grid tweeted the above graphic, highlighting the first period of coal free power since 1880.
This isn't the first time England has been powered coal-free, as during 2016 shorter periods were also successful - the largest of note being 19 hours. Coal's share of the market also dropped to 9%, down from 23% in 2015.
The government and energy industry have been working on making the country coal free as alternative methods of production develop - coal-free days will become more common as these options become more and more viable.
Coal was the main method of powering the UK until the early 1990s, and 2025 will see the forced closure of the last coal power station, as per existing government plans to move away from being reliant on fossil fuels and meet the UK's commitment to renewable energy.
Mainland Europe still hold the best record for using renewable power alone, last May Germany and Portugal had fossil fuel free periods.
Energy prices will continue to fluctuate as we move away from fossil fuels, and the only way to make sure that you are always getting the best price is to keep on top of the market. Not all tariffs have a penalty for switching mid-contract so if a better price comes up it pays to change. The Energy Advice Line handles the switching process for you, making it quick and simple. Find out more at energyadviceline.org.uk
Image courtesy of National Grid Twitter.
