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The demolition of Didcot A power station in Oxfordshire on August 18, 2019, marked the end of coal-burning power generation in the UK, which had fallen to 2% of electricity generation by that time. Following the demolition, 40,000 homes lost power due to an explosion triggered by debris.

The last coal power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, closed in September 2024. Meanwhile, renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and biomass, supplied 43% of the UK’s electricity by 2020, with wind becoming the largest contributor.

The UK now holds 20% of global offshore wind capacity. To meet global climate goals, renewable energy must exceed 40% of power generation by 2030, while coal must drop to 4%. Current battery storage capacity needs to increase significantly to support this transition, with projections indicating rapid growth driven by electric vehicle demand. However, fossil-fuel subsidies totaling $7 trillion in 2022 pose a challenge to this shift.