The UK Goes Coal-Free: Will the US Follow Suit?

An industrial power plant located in Weisweiler, Germany. Credit: x1klima via Flickr

The UK has officially gone coal-free after 142 years, marking the end of a long period in which the region had been running on coal-fired energy. 

The Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power plant is shutting down completely after 57 years.

For ages, the UK has been known as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and has been a place that was not only built with coal, but has been powered with it for an incredibly long time.

The home of the first-ever coal-fired electric plant was in England, built in 1882. Many of the origins of coal were discovered and created in the UK as well.

A lot of people in the UK never would have thought that they’d move entirely off of coal, including Chris Bennet, a senior electrical engineer at Ratcliffe.

“I’ll be sad to see the end of it, to be honest. This was the industrial revolution, right here, when coal ruled everything,” Bennet said. “But I am glad for the environment.”

Although plans are still being made, the plant is supposedly going to be turned into a “zero-carbon technology and energy hub.”

This marks a radical shift for the UK towards cleaner, more renewable energy sources, as it looks to potentially slow down climate change.

It is the first of many countries, specifically wealthy ones, that are giving up coal for these renewable energy sources.

Not only is the UK making the transition, but by 2038, at least three other countries are set to as well, those being Italy by 2025, Canada by 2030 and Germany by 2038.

With these changes, many have tried to advocate for the U.S. to make the switch as well, although that may be harder than we realize. 

The U.S. typically provides coal for most of the wealthier countries in the world that still run on it. Because of the abundance of coal in the U.S. and the amount of financial stability it provides us, I find it hard to believe that the U.S. could make the transition.

It could be possible for the U.S. to do it, but not anytime soon, in my opinion. 

However, if the place that birthed the Industrial Revolution and the usage of coal can give it up, anything is possible.

Although many believe getting rid of the use of coal to be a good thing, there is still skepticism from some, especially from people who work with coal firsthand. 

Chris Bellaby, who’s worked at Ratcliffe for 11 years as a turbine team leader, was skeptical about how the UK could run solely off of wind and solar and believed that when it’s windy or sunny, fossil fuels would still be necessary. 

The perception of coal and coal plants has changed dramatically as well. As climate change and the necessity to be more eco-friendly have become a reality, what was once viewed as a vital and positive part of the community, delivering essential electricity has now become viewed as harmful and dangerous.

The perception of coal may have shifted towards better forms of energy over time, and coal may have almost entirely gone in the UK, but a lot of massive countries aren’t at that point yet, like China, Indonesia and India. These countries are still heavily reliant on coal-powered energy.

The U.S., however, is moving away, albeit slowly. According to the Washington Post, around a quarter century ago, coal powered around half of the electricity in the U.S.. It’s around 18% today.

Yes, the U.S. is shifting, but will there be a time when the country is completely coal-free and runs entirely on renewable energy sources? That remains to be seen. 

If it’s possible, especially in a country like the U.S., which is not only huge but incredibly reliant on coal, then it will usher in a new era of energy in the U.S., in hopes of using far fewer resources and drastically improving the environment.