European Commission sets out energy crisis measures as UK electricity from fossil fuels hits record low: comment

"Measures proposed to EU member states today represent a rational reaction to the second fossil fuel crisis in five years, in line with those announced in the UK. As last time, when Russia invaded Ukraine, sending prices soaring, the European Union has again doubled down on speeding up the transition away from fossil fuels.

"They are not alone. Globally, renewables have overtaken coal, and clean power met all of the growth in power demand last year [2]. Not only does the clean transition offer the path to net zero emissions - the only scientific solution we have to halt the damage climate change is wreaking on our cost of living, driving up food prices. But also no-one can blockade the sun and the wind, so electrification and renewables represent freedom from the need to import expensive and polluting fuels from some of the most volatile parts of the world."

The Commission's proposals come as in the UK, power generation from fossil fuels dropped to the lowest level since records started in 2009 [3]; commenting, Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said: "In the UK, the proportion of fossil fuels in the electricity mix reached a new low today at just around 2%. That's happened because renewables have been rolled out over the last few decades under successive British governments with that early investment paying off in more UK-generated electricity powering our homes and businesses. The UK's large windfarms have also helped to lower the wholesale power price by a third last year [4] and insulated the UK from some of the price shocks we’ve seen. The UK's grid is clearly adapting well to more renewables set against predictions of blackouts.

"But like in the EU, the UK Government is increasingly recognising that clean power and net zero technologies are essential for our energy security. The UK is a leader on clean power, but lagging behind its neighbours on helping homes adopt electric heat pumps and solar panels. Renewed focus from the Government could help to start an electrification boom, with these net zero technologies helping homes get off gas, the price of which has been so volatile in recent months and years."