UK coal use drops to lowest level since Great Fire of 1666

NEWS

MAJOR COAL distributors say there is “no risk” to the availability of coal supplies for the heritage sector in the foreseeable future despite national coal use dropping to its lowest level since 1666.

According to figures published by Carbon Brief – a UK-based website covering the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy – based on data supplied by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, UK coal use fell to just 2.1 million tonnes in 2024, a 54% drop in demand compared to 2023, when the nation consumed 4.5 million tonnes. This drop in demand has been driven by the closure of Britain’s last coal-fired power station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar, and the closure of the last blast furnace at Tata’s Port Talbot steelworks – both of which occurred on September 30 last year. Carbon Brief said this annual consumption figure was the lowest since 1666, the year of the Great Fire of London. At the time of going to press, the remaining blast furnaces at British Steel’s steelworks at Scunthorpe were also under threat of closure, although the Government was considering nationalising the plant. Furthermore, nationwide coal consumption has dropped by 96% since 2014.

In response to the figures, Heritage Railway Association Chief Executive, Steve Oates, said: “The latest figures for coal use are interesting, but it’s important not to look at them in isolation. The vast majority of the reduction in coal use relates solely to electricity generation. However, anyone with more than a passing interest in the subject will understand that coal has always had a large number of uses besides electricity generation – many of which show no signs of disappearing in the near future.

“To put things into perspective, we estimate that UK heritage steam in all shapes and sizes still uses less than 1.5% of all coal utilised in the UK. Emissions from heritage steam remain absolutely negligible.

“I think we have to note that coal used for electricity generation has always been predominantly of a lower quality than the coal used by steam locomotives too. Looking at the tonnages of coal consumed alone does not take factors like these into account. Overall heritage rail remains a very low-polluting, sustainable sector and we believe that steam locomotives can be completely compatible with the net-zero agenda.

“It has to be said that we do also speak to the major distributors of coal in the UK on a pretty regular basis. We’ve been assured that they see no risk to the commercial availability of coal supplies in the foreseeable future.”