For decades, Britain’s energy supply has been inextricably linked with the humble cuppa. At moments of great communing, such as the climax of a big football match or a dramatic plotline on EastEnders, millions of people at a time get up and switch on their kettles. We might take the resulting tea for granted, but in control rooms across the national electricity grid, technicians are primed to protect our brews on such occasions.
The highest recorded surge in demand – known in the sector as a “TV pickup” – followed England’s semi-final loss to Germany in the 1990 World Cup. At 2,800MW, it was enough to power more than a million kettles. It’s not just telly; the grid recorded smaller surges – about 800MW – in 2020 when people went back inside after the weekly rounds of “clap for carers” to show support for NHS staff during the Covid pandemic lockdowns.
These surges are just outlying examples of the challenges the UK’s electricity grid faces every day as it powers our lives. Then, there’s another fundamental issue: is the grid that served us well in the past the grid we need to power our lives tomorrow?
To understand what National Grid, the company that builds and maintains the UK’s electricity grid infrastructure, is planning, and why it matters to us all, let’s quickly journey back half a century …
How has our energy supply changed?
Until about 1960, coal provided the vast majority of Britain’s energy needs. Hundreds of coalmines fed vast, polluting power stations that pumped electricity from the heart of the country into the extensive grid of cables that still reach our homes today.
Britain’s energy mix has undergone a remarkable transformation in six decades. Last year was the UK’s cleanest year on record for energy generation, with 51% of the country’s electricity coming from zero-carbon sources – including 36% from wind, hydro and solar power – and less than 1% from coal. The amount of UK electricity generated from fossil fuels in 2023 dropped by 22% year on year and on 21 December, windfarms generated 21.8GW of electricity – the highest ever on record.
Why is demand for clean energy rising?
As the climate crisis becomes ever more urgent, the shift from fossil fuels to renewables is a vital part of the UK’s mission to meet net zero targets. In 2021, the government committed to fully decarbonising the grid by 2035. Nevertheless, gas-powered stations still account for a sixth of all CO2 emissions in the UK.
At the same time, electricity now powers more of our lives. The average UK home already has 13 electrical devices, at least 10 of which get used every day, according to a National Grid poll.