The amount of low carbon electricity generated this week may seem impressive, but it is important to retain some context. So far in 2017 wind, solar and hydroelectric power stations have contributed around 17% of electricity, behind nuclear (20%) and far behind gas (40%).
At present, gas is used to provide the flexibility needed to match supply of electricity to demand. It is used to respond to our changing usage patterns, e.g. turning on our ovens on our return from work, and the fluctuations in wind and solar output. Reducing British gas use to meet climate objectives will be challenging particularly as we are so dependent on it for 40% of our electricity and for nearly all of our domestic heat demand. Securing supply will be critical in the coming decades because, as the chart below shows, so much of our gas is imported!
Winter supply of Gas, Source: National Grid Winter Outlook 2016/17
As part of MyGridGB, I try to look at alternatives to our present electricity supply which meet climate objectives. In the MyGridGB Manifesto, I present on proposition which you can read about in this website. Critical to that manifesto is that if we are to use gas in our electricity system we should only try to use it when we need to. We should invest in solar, wind, hydro and marine power to reduce our dependence on gas and not necessarily aim to replace it in the short term.
Besides record amounts of renewables coming online, there are some inklings that gas may have competition in the provision of flexibility. Big batteries are coming online which can smooth short term fluctuations in power. This has been spurred by collapsing international prices for lithium battery storage. A National Grid tenders in 2016 look likely to bring over 200MW of energy storage online in the next 2 years. That is a big number!
The politicians now need to decide whether they will continue to support low carbon electricity or to abandon it at a time when it is beginning to make a big difference. For me, Easter week has been the clearest evidence of all that low carbon power is possible but the rest of 2017 shows us that more work needs to be done.
A huge thank you to all the followers and interactions this week. It's been really interesting to read and great to see so many people interested in this important subject. Please do comment on this article if you find it interesting.
Summary
- At lunchtime on Sunday 9th April, a record 8GW of solar power was powering British homes.
- For the first time in 2017, all coal power stations in the UK were off on Friday 14th April
- The carbon intensity of electricity fell to a record low of 134gCO2eq./kWh on Saturday 15th April due to high volumes of solar and wind combined with low demand and no coal generation. The previous lowest was recorded in mid summer 2016!
- I believe that electricity on Easter Saturday was the least carbon intensive for over a century.