The energy picture in recent years is changing day by day. We recently wrote that Switzerland lifted its ban on the construction of nuclear reactors, that China, on the other hand, is building them at high speed, that new gas interconnections are being built in Southeast Europe, and that new wind and solar power plants are springing up.
Part of these processes is the shutdown of thermal power plants and the abandonment of coal as an energy source. In this context, the UK’s last remaining coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, will be closed by the end of September 2024. Built around six decades ago, capable of powering two million homes, it has done its job.
The end of operation of this power station also marks the end of an era in which Great Britain was heavily dependent on coal for most of its electricity needs. In 1990, coal accounted for 80 percent of electricity production in Great Britain, while by 2023, that share has dropped to just 1 percent, as reported by the world media. Wind, solar and bioenergy are now taking a leading role in the country’s energy mix, supported by gas and nuclear power plants.
While the UK is ending its use of coal, Denmark’s Ørsted has closed its last coal-fired power station, Esbjerg. The plant was an important source of electricity in Denmark, but the closure marks the end of the company’s long transition to renewable energy sources. Since 2006, Ørsted has gradually reduced its coal consumption, switching its power plants, among other things, to sustainable biomass.
With the closure of Esbjerg, the last coal-fired thermal power plant, the Ørsted company is one step away from fulfilling its goal of producing 99 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2025. The shutdown of the Esbjerg plant, which consumed 500,000 tons of coal per year, represents the final stage in this transformation, according to the company’s website.
Therefore, the field of energy is transformed every day, both because of climate goals and because of energy security and stability, which has become a priority for many after geopolitical events, the energy crisis, and the increased demand for electricity on a global level.
Energy portal
Source: energetskiportal.rs
