The Coal Truth: How a major energy source lost its power in Britain

[T_i_B]

It was not that long ago that coal was the most important industry in Britain. Large swathes of Britain were dependent on the industry, without which we would not have the industrial revolution. We wouldn't have the Labour party either without coal come to think of it. Now the industry is declining at staggering rate.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/19/how-coal-lost-power-britain?CMP=share_btn_tw

Once the engine of the Industrial Revolution and employer of nearly 1.2 million people, the fall of old king coal in the UK has been precipitous.

Only five years ago, the fuel was generating more than 40% of the UK’s electricity, but new analysis by Imperial College London reveals coal supplied just 2% of power in the first half of 2017.

More than 1,000 deep mines and nearly 100 surface ones operated until the early 1960s – today there are just 10 tiny mines left. Half a century ago it was the UK’s main source of energy, but last year windfarms provided more power.

This week, it emerged that ministers are disbanding a government and industry body created to secure the long-term future of coal power and mining, in the latest sign of the dirty fuel’s rapid demise. The 11-year-old UK Coal Forum will be wound down because it “no longer serves a purpose”, said Richard Harrington, the new energy minister.

[NCjack]

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