Britain’s Coal-Fired Power Plant: Powerful Lessons for India

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Economy

Oct 10, 2024

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Britain’s Last Coal-Fired Power Plant and Lessons for India

The closure of Britain’s last coal-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire marks a significant milestone in the global transition toward cleaner energy.

Britain’s Last Coal-Fired Power Plant and Lessons for India

Britain’s Coal Transition: Britain’s shift away from coal began long before the 2015 Paris Agreement.
- Its roots can be traced back to the Great Smog of 1952, which led to important environmental legislation like the Clean Air Act of 1956.
- Over the following decades, several geopolitical, environmental, economic, and social factors shaped the country’s coal phase-out.
The Role of Natural Gas and Cold War Pressures: The discovery of natural gas in the North Sea in 1965 played a pivotal role in reducing Britain’s reliance on coal.
- Additionally, geopolitical tensions during the Cold War prompted Britain to minimise coal imports from the Soviet Union, further accelerating the transition.
Decline of Coal Mining: As domestic coal reserves dwindled, mining became increasingly uneconomical, pushing up the costs of coal-fired power.
- The Thatcher government’s closure of 20 mines in the mid-1980s, despite a prolonged miners’ strike, left deep socioeconomic scars in coal-dependent regions, with some areas still struggling today.
Need for a Tailored Approach: Britain’s complex history in moving away from coal highlights the necessity for countries to adopt diverse strategies to meet their energy and environmental goals, taking into account their unique energy, economic, and social contexts.

Phasing Down Coal: During the 2021 COP26 summit in Glasgow, India and China advocated for a “phasing down” of coal instead of a complete “phasing out,” emphasising a more gradual transition.
- India set a target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, with a goal to meet 50% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2050.
India’s Emissions: Though India is the third-largest carbon emitter globally, its per capita emissions in 2023 were only 2 tonnes.
- This is significantly lower than the global average of 4.6 tonnes and less than half of the U.K.’s per capita emissions, which stood at 5.5 tonnes in the same year.
U.K. as a Major Contributor: A Carbon Brief study that examined emissions from 1850 to 2024, accounting for colonial histories, placed the U.K. as the fourth-largest historical emitter.

India’s Coal Industry: India’s coal journey began in 1774 with the establishment of the Raniganj coalfield, and the use of coal-fired energy became prominent after the commissioning of the Trombay power station in 1956.
Projected Peak in Coal Production and Consumption: Unlike the U.K., India has not yet reached its peak coal production and consumption, which is expected between 2030 and 2035.
- Currently, coal accounts for 70% of India’s energy output, and further expansion of coal mining operations is planned to meet rising energy demands.
Employment and Economic Significance of Coal: India’s coal sector is a significant employer, with over 350 operational mines and more than 120 new ones planned.
- The sector provides direct employment to hundreds of thousands, especially in regions with high poverty rates and where many have shifted from agriculture to mining. At its peak, coal is expected to employ over a million people.
- India’s Lower Per Capita Energy Consumption: Despite India’s heavy reliance on coal, its per capita energy consumption remains low, about one-third of that of the U.K.