UK Ends Coal Power, Shifts Focus to Decarbonizing Home Heating with Heat Pumps
UK: The UK has shut down its last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe on Soar, becoming the first G7 nation to fully end coal power use. Coal once generated 40% of the UK's electricity in 2012, but this has dropped to zero in just 12 years. Major parts of the UK economy, such as home heating, still require decarbonization despite this progress. Moreover, the new Labour government, led by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, plans to address this with a EUR 6.6 billion (USD 7.2 billion) warm homes initiative. The plan includes grants worth EUR 7500 (USD 8269) and low-interest loans to help consumers switch from fossil fuel heating to cleaner options.
Heat pumps, which draw heat from the air or ground, are more energy-efficient, but they are currently installed in only 1% of UK homes due to high upfront costs and maintenance expenses. A report from the Centre for Net Zero highlights that heat pumps are 300% more energy efficient than gas boilers, reducing household energy use by 40% and cutting CO2 emissions by 36%, or 1.2 tons per household annually.
Source: New Statesman