According to the National Grid, a record amount of solar power was generated on Friday 26th May 2017 as Britain reached temperatures of up to 28oC. The record of 8.7 gigawatts (GW) had been generated at lunchtime, representing 24.3% of total electrical generation across the UK.
Alongside the contribution from solar, 23% of power came from nuclear sources, 30% from natural gas and just 1.4% from coal. Wind, hydro power and biomass were also used.
Britain has been getting more of its energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar, as it seeks to meet European Union targets and phase out coal power plants. However, environmentalists have criticised the government’s decision to cut subsidies to the solar power industry in 2015.
In April, Britain went a full day without using coal to generate electricity for the first time since the 1880s.
The government hopes to close all coal-fired power plants by 2025 and coal accounted for just 9% of electricity generation in 2016 down from 23% the year before.
(Source: BBC News )