Britain got its cleanest electricity ever during lockdown
LONDON -
U.K electricity has never been cleaner. As wind, solar and biomass plants produced more power than ever in the second quarter, carbon emissions fell by a third from a year earlier, according to Drax Electric Insight’s quarterly report. Power prices slumped 42 per cent as demand plunged during lockdown. Total renewable energy output jumped 32 per cent in the period.
“The past few months have given the country a glimpse into the future for our power system, with higher levels of renewable energy and lower demand making for a difficult balancing act,”said Iain Staffell, from Imperial College London and lead author of the report.
The findings of the report point to the impact energy efficiency can have on reducing emissions. Millions of people furloughed or working from home and shuttered shops up and down the country resulted in demand being about four gigawatts lower than expected in the three months through June.
Average carbon emissions fell to a new low of 153 grams per kWh of electricity consumed over the quarter, according to the report.
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OWEN SOUND - Bruce Power’s Unit 3 nuclear reactor will squeeze out an extra 22 megawatts of electricity, thanks to upgrades during its recent planned outage.
Similar gains are anticipated at its three sister reactors at Bruce A generating station, which presents the opportunity for the biggest gains, due to a design difference over Bruce B’s four reactors, Bruce Power spokesman John Peevers said.
Bruce A reactor efficiency gains stem mainly from the fact Bruce A’s non-nuclear side, including turbines and the generator, was sized at 88 per cent of the nuclear capacity, Peevers said.
This allowed 12 per cent of the energy,…
