Coal is seen by scientists and the general public as the most damaging electrical power generation method. All over the world, high polluting coal fired power stations are closing down.

For example, Bow, New England, USA coal power stations to be converted into a renewable energy park with solar generation and battery storage.

Active since the early 1970's, the Kilroot power station in Northern Ireland, UK closed it's coal generators in 2024, having been converted to cleaner gas. The operators have further plans for the surrounding station land, including a solar farm and battery storage.

Kilroot power station in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's last coal fired electrical power station closed in September 2023.
Construction began in 1974 and commissioning followed in 1981. Before the coal generators were turned off they had a 560 megawatt (MW) capacity.
Electricity was once again being produced in March 2024, this time from gas heated boilers.

 

These closures and many others are widely reported as good news stories. However, less well detailed is the high number of new coal plants under construction and in planning for the future.

In fact, globally, coal electricity generation is still increasing.

China is responsible for most, but not all new generation stations. Indonesia, Russia and Nigeria have all recently completed construction of new coal powered plants.

About The Author
Jane Duncan
Chewells Contributor

Jane is passionate about the environment, she is our main contributor for the renewable industry blogs. She... »

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Replies

• Aba Selassie (May 7, 2024)
  At the 2015 Paris Agreement, where many nations agreed to take action to prevent a temperature rise above 1.5% above pre industrial levels. Since then, the amount of electricity generated by burning Coal has increased by over 10%.
• Richard Johnson (Apr 17, 2024)
  The US has planning for 2 new coal power stations. One in Pennsylvania and the other in Alaska. Planning includes carbon capture and storage. They intend to gather the carbon emissions and store it underground. The exact process for this remains unclear.
• Markus Woznica (Apr 17, 2024)
  This is a big climate problem.
• Amanda Duarte (Apr 10, 2024)
  Coal generated 40% of UK electricity in 2012, a decade later it is just over 1%.

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