Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will publish a plan committing to phase-out coal without carbon capture technology from the power sector by 2032.

The Government’s planning policy prevents the building of new coal power plants without carbon capture and storage and this is backed up by the Emissions Performance Standard which sets a limit on the carbon dioxide emissions from new fossil fuel plants.

Current policies are leading to the progressive decline in unabated coal generation. Coal accounted for 40% of total UK generation in 2012 falling to 29% in 2014. The Department’s analysis shows that unabated coal is expected to account for around 1% of total UK generation by 2025.