Coal consumption has fallen steadily in the UK mainly due to continued low demand from electricity generators operators and the increasing popularity of renewable energy.
Figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy reveal coal imports in 2019 at 6.8 million tonnes were 33% lower compared with 2018, the lowest since before the 1984 miners’ strike.
Within the UK the demand for coal by electricity generators in 2019 was 2.9 million tonnes, a new record low and less than half of 2018’s demand.
Demand for coal-fired electricity generation continued to decline as production preferred to use gas, nuclear and renewables over coal for economic reasons including the high carbon price floor for coal.
During Q4 of 2019, overall production was down 12% compared with the Q4 of 2018 due to further contraction of surface mined coal.
Deep mined coal remains only a small component of coal production as only a few small deep mines are still operational.
Coal imports were down 58% on the levels in Q4 of 2018, and demand for coal by electricity generators in the Q4 of 2019 was 43% lower than demand in Q4 of 2018 as production favoured gas, nuclear and renewables over coal.
