Coal-Fired Power: A Fading Dream or Just Firewood for the Future?
So, the UK has officially kicked coal to the curb after being the very place it got its first cozy blanket from! Yes, you heard it right. At long last, the fire has gone out on coal-fired power generation – that’s “zero” coal-fired power, folks! In the land of G7 countries, this has become a proper reality. Meanwhile, there’s Japan, still holding tight to its coal-powered crutch like it’s a security blanket at a scary sleepover. So, what’s cooking in this neural soup of energy dilemmas?
The Birthplace of Coal Shenanigans
“It’s a really great day, because Britain built its power during the industrial revolution on coal,” says Lord Deben, channeling his inner cheerleader for the grand old fossil. I mean, you can’t blame him; if your history books read like a success story of “how to build an empire on coal,” you’d want to wallow in nostalgia too. However, the coal parade has officially come to an end with Britain’s last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, waving a fond farewell on September 30th. Now, it’s slated for demolition, but don’t worry, they’ve promised to replace it with something “clean”—one can only hope it’s not just another overpriced coffee shop!
Just think, back in 1882, they celebrated the world’s first coal-fired power station in London. Today, they’re probably celebrating the fact that they can finally exhale without the smell of burning fossil fuels hanging around.
Legislating the Future: Gotta Love a Good Law
Now, flashback to 2008, a magical year when the UK enacted the Climate Change Act. They decided to do the unthinkable: legislate greenhouse gas reduction targets! With a sprinkle of political glee, they pushed to introduce natural gas and renewable energy. Fast forward to 2023, and wind and solar are strutting their stuff, dominating the energy market by about 50%. Coal? Only 1%. Let’s be honest; if we were talking about parties, coal would be showing up in socks and sandals while wind and solar hit the dance floor in their trendy outfits.
Yuri Okubo went full-on Nostradamus, saying, “What will we do with our next energy? We see this as our next business opportunity.” How delightful! It’s like spotting a bunch of cash at a karaoke night; they see a market, and they’re ready to sing!
Japan’s Coal Love Affair
Meanwhile in Japan, it’s like the script flipped. Coal still accounts for about 30% of the country’s electricity supply. Japan, bless their hearts, is trying to break into renewable energy, hoping to hit 38% by 2030, but at this rate, they might need a time machine. Here’s the kicker: coal is cheap, and when you’re starving for energy resources like Japan, it seems like dating the “stable” coal guy is a no-brainer.
But let’s ask the million-yen question: will coal still be viable in 10 years? And if you ask Hideaki Takemura, he seems to think it’s playing the long game while the rest of the world has already left the party. If Japan doesn’t pivot, their economy might find itself in the same room with that one relative who tells the same stories over and over again—nobody wants to hang around for that.
The Bottom Line: Potatoes or a Golden Future?
We’re heading into an era where products linked with high CO2 emissions might as well plaster a “do not buy” sign on them. The global market is moving, and if the cherry blossoms don’t bloom on this issue soon, Japan might find itself with an “L” for loss. It’s all fun and games until the country realizes it’s squared off against a queue of nations ready to offer up their green solutions. So, dear Japan, how about we stop backsliding and start rising?
The fire went out last month in the UK, the birthplace of coal-fired power generation. This is the first time in the Group of Seven developed countries (G7) to achieve zero coal-fired power generation. Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is a global trend, but why has this been achieved? Is it difficult for Japan to continue relying on coal-fired power for about 30% of its electricity supply? (Joe Miyahata)
◆A country that started an industrial revolution using coal.
“It’s a really great day, because Britain built its power in the industrial revolution on coal.” According to the BBC, Lord Deben, the country’s long-serving environment minister, said:
Power transmission line (file photo)
Britain’s last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, ceased operation on September 30th. It is located in central Nottinghamshire and was completed in 1967. The German energy company that operates it plans to demolish it in two years and build a clean energy facility on the site.
Coal-fired power generation has a special meaning in Britain, where the industrial revolution began. In 1882, the world’s first coal-fired power station was built in London by inventor Thomas Edison. Since then, it has supported the rapidly increasing demand for electricity due to modernization.
◆Became the first in the world to legislate greenhouse gas reduction targets in 2008
Even into the 1990s, it still accounted for most of the UK’s electricity supply. However, with the enactment of the Climate Change Act in 2008, Japan became the first country in the world to legislate greenhouse gas reduction targets. We have promoted the introduction of natural gas and renewable energy. By 2023, natural energies such as wind and solar power will account for about 50%, and coal-fired power will decline to about 1%.
Yuri Okubo, a senior researcher at the Renewable Energy Foundation, said, “We have decided to pass the climate change law, have it checked by an independent third party, and proceed with CO2 reductions based on scientific information even if there is a change of government.” It’s big,” he explains. He then looked at Britain’s intentions, saying, “What will we do with our next energy?We have a strong desire to lead the world.We see this as our next business opportunity.”
◆”As Japan lacks energy resources that can be stably supplied…”
Compared to other power generation methods, coal-fired power generation emits more CO2, and there is a growing trend to move away from coal, especially among developed countries.
At the G7 climate, energy and environment ministers’ meeting held in Italy in April of this year, it was agreed that coal-fired power generation without measures to reduce emissions would be phased out by 2035. In the G7, the UK, Italy, France, and Canada all aim to phase out coal-fired power by 2030.
The latest coal-fired power plant, which started operation in June 2023, is photographed in January 2023 in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
However, in Japan, coal-fired power still accounts for about 30%, while wind and solar power only account for about 20%. The country’s basic energy plan aims for renewable energy to account for at least 38% in fiscal 2030, but coal-fired power is expected to remain at 19%.
The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry recognizes that since coal is relatively cheap and can be expected to be in a stable supply, “Japan, which lacks energy resources that can provide a stable supply, needs to utilize it to a certain extent.” .
◆ “Will it still be usable 10 years from now?”
The situation in Japan is backward compared to other countries. Is it okay to leave it like this?
Hideaki Takemura, chairman of the NPO Citizens’ Electric Power Liaison Association, said, “Coal-fired power may be cheap for the time being, but will it still be usable 10 years from now?Japan’s market and society are also moving in the direction of accepting natural energy. “If the government issues an order, there will be no need for coal-fired power in the blink of an eye,” he said, questioning the government’s stance. Furthermore, he warns that the current situation will not be beneficial to Japan’s economy.
“We’re going to live in a world where products made with CO2 emissions won’t sell. We’re already behind the curve, but if we don’t take the initiative soon, we won’t be able to catch up with other countries. If things continue like this, the Japanese economy will only decline.”
