UK targets switch to gas

The UK Conservative government is to consult on phasing out coal completely by 2025, but it must find ways to trigger investment in gas-fired plant

UK Secretary of State for energy, Amber Rudd, told an audience in London on 18 November that after “20 years of action on climate change, 30% of the country’s electricity still comes from unabated coal.” That is all going to change – but only subject to gas-fired power generating capacity rising enough to guarantee security of supply; and at the moment the signs are not good. Rudd told the Institution of Civil Engineers that a consultation is booked for the spring to decide on when to close all unabated coal-fired power stations. “Our consultation will set out proposals to close coal by 2025 – and restrict its use from 2023,” she said. Most in the market had assumed that coal would be phased