Coal and COVID

Coal and COVID: The road to recovery

Sophia Bell, Assistant Editor

Welcome to the July issue of DPA!

First of all, I’d like to take the time to introduce myself to those who don’t know me: my name is Sophia and I’m the new Assistant Editor of DPA! I joined the team at the beginning of March and am very much enjoying delving into the engineering world.

For my first editorial column, I thought I’d investigate the impact of the pandemic on the environment. At midnight on Wednesday 10th June, Britain passed a historic milestone: we officially achieved two months of coalfree power generation!

For the first time in history, renewables have accounted for more electricity generated than all fossil fuels put together. According to the BBC, in 2020 so far, renewables have been responsible “for 37 percent of electricity supplied to the network, versus 35 percent for fossil fuels.”

This is a huge achievement, especially considering that just ten years ago, wind and solar accounted for only three percent of the country’s electricity. A significant part of this latest breakthrough can be attributed to COVID-19. Since the enforcement of lockdown on 23rd March, Britain has seen a sharp decline in demand for energy, resulting in the National Grid shutting down the four remaining coal-fired power plants.

With the ongoing devastation of the pandemic, the climate crisis may have taken a backseat in public consciousness, but the lockdown has paved the way for a greener future – demonstrating the feasibility of committing to a more environmentally friendly way of life.

But I wonder, how will the UK’s approach to tackling climate change evolve now that we are entering an economic recession?

On 1st June 2020, the National Grid was among more than 200 leading UK businesses that called upon the government to implement a COVID-19 recovery plan in line with its net-zero emission targets.

“We’ve estimated that the energy sector alone will need hundreds of thousands of new recruits as we work towards net zero and believe that an economic recovery with climate action at its heart will be key to unlocking these opportunities,” stated National Grid CEO John Pettigrew.

This suggests that combating the climate crisis and ensuring economic recovery may go hand in hand. If other sectors similarly strive towards sustainability, more jobs could be created – which would ultimately help to rebuild the economy in the long term.

However, I feel that there is still a long way to go. The government will need to put in place a clear and practicable plan if we are to meet our net-zero targets.

Nonetheless, the move towards coalfree generation is certainly a step in the right direction in achieving a bright future that will aid the much-needed recovery of both the economy and the planet. The question is, will the UK continue to lead the renewable revolution, now that lockdown restrictions are being lifted?

Do let us know what you think of the issue and if there are any specific topics you think we should be covering. Email me at sophia.bell@imlgroup.co.uk.

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